ABSTRACT
The second principle of Thriving Democracies addresses the risk of democratic stagnation and sclerosis in current democracies. When societies and conditions change, democratic setups cannot remain the same. Thriving Democracies are based on the conviction that continuous adjustments are needed to realize democratic promises also in changing societies. The second principle of self-governing involves continuous monitoring and adaption, surveilled systematically by citizens. This does not happen randomly but must be woven into the system—with public agencies ensuring continuous checking and adjusting.
