ABSTRACT
The key to more vibrant political activism that goes beyond casting a ballot once every four years in elections lies in the inclusive-contestation conception of democracy – and not, contrary to conventional wisdom, in democratic models based on inclusive consensus. Whether we look at State institutions, mobilization into activism, or political culture, we find that democratic arrangements based on inclusive contestation – which emphasize the role of democratic competition – enhance nonelectoral participation, while democratic structures based on consensus and cooperation fail to do so.
