ABSTRACT
In this chapter I explain why the strategy proposed in this book is ambitious but nevertheless feasible also it requires far-reaching institutional changes, namely a deliberative switch. There are five reasons: First, the combination of the concept of threefold sustainability with deliberative procedures creates a strong toolbox for sustainable development and therefore may be widely accepted used by many actors in business, civil society and politics. Second, a deliberative switch may be implemented within existing institutions and nevertheless transform the way these function. Third, a deliberative switch fundamentally increases Western societies’ ability to cope with complexity without compromising the openness and diversity of society. On the contrary, deliberative procedures, mini-publics in particular, gain their power precisely by making systematic use of openness and diversity. Fourth, mini-publics offer a good, probably the best way to solve another core problem of Western societies, the reframing of their governance that has gotten out of hand. Fifth, the versatile applicability of mini-publics creates many opportunities to drive sustainable, bottom-up development. This is an indispensable condition for achieving sustainable development in Western societies by the middle of this century. It makes this development a matter for society as a whole, not just politics.
