Scholars have often claimed that democracies, whatever their virtues, are functionally short-sighted. The evidence is clear: we have been unable to manage many long-term issues including climate change, nuclear waste disposal, natural disaster preparedness, infrastructure maintenance, and budget deficits. If voters and influential actors, such as interest groups and corporations, have dominant short-term interests, it may be difficult for elected politicians to act
in the long-term interests of society, even if they think that it would be the right thing to do. To solve long-term problems, do we need political systems that are less democratic, or even
authoritarian? This idea, which Michael K. MacKenzie calls the "democratic myopia thesis," is a sort of conventional wisdom; it is an idea that scholars and pundits take for granted as a truth about democracy without subjecting it to adequate critical scrutiny. In Future Publics, MacKenzie challenges this conventional wisdom and articulates a deliberative, democratic theory of future-regarding collective action. Specifically, MacKenzie argues that each part of the
democratic myopia problem can be addressed through democratic--rather than authoritarian--means. At a more fundamental level, once we recognize that democratic practices are world-making activities that
empower us to make our shared worlds together, they should also be understood as future-making activities. Despite the short-term dynamics associated with electoral democracy, MacKenzie asserts that we need more inclusive and deliberative democracies if we are going to make shared futures that will work for us all.
Scholars have often claimed that democracies, whatever their virtues, are functionally short-sighted. The evidence is clear: we have been unable to manage many long-term issues including climate change, nuclear waste disposal, natural disaster preparedness, infrastructure maintenance, and budget deficits. If voters and influential actors, such as interest groups and corporations, have dominant short-term interests, it may be difficult for elected politicians to act
in the long-term interests of society, even if they think that it would be the right thing to do. To solve long-term problems, do we need political systems that are less democratic, or even
authoritarian? This idea, which Michael K. MacKenzie calls the "democratic myopia thesis," is a sort of conventional wisdom; it is an idea that scholars and pundits take for granted as a truth about democracy without subjecting it to adequate critical scrutiny. In Future Publics, MacKenzie challenges this conventional wisdom and articulates a deliberative, democratic theory of future-regarding collective action. Specifically, MacKenzie argues that each part of the
democratic myopia problem can be addressed through democratic--rather than authoritarian--means. At a more fundamental level, once we recognize that democratic practices are world-making activities that
empower us to make our shared worlds together, they should also be understood as future-making activities. Despite the short-term dynamics associated with electoral democracy, MacKenzie asserts that we need more inclusive and deliberative democracies if we are going to make shared futures that will work for us all.
Acknowledgements
Preface
PART I: CONCEPTUAL BACKGROUND
Chapter 1 - Introduction: The Democratic Myopia Thesis
Chapter 2 - Future-Making: Politics, Democracy, and
Deliberation
Chapter 3 - Moving Beyond Theories of Intergenerational Justice
PART II: A DELIBERATIVE THEORY OF FUTURE-REGARDING COLLECTIVE
ACTION
Chapter 4 - Deliberative Responses to the Democratic Myopic
Problem
Chapter 5 - Getting to the Future: Inclusion, Deliberation, and
Future-Regarding Collective Action
Chapter 6 - Acting Through Time: Coordinating the Actions of
Current and Future Publics
PART III: INSTITUTIONAL DESIGN
Chapter 7 - Future-Regarding Democratic Institutions
Chapter 8 - Conclusion: Unresolved Themes
References
Michael K. MacKenzie is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh.
"Can democracies meet the looming problems of the 21st century?
There is a growing suspicion that the answer is no or not well.
Michael MacKenzie challenges this view and offers a powerful
counterpunch to the doomsaying that has dominated democratic crisis
literature. Drawing on and contributing to the latest deliberative
democracy research, MacKenzie offers a compelling picture of the
democratic institutions through which citizens can take hold of
their fate
and plan for the future. Inclusive deliberative institutions can
break away from the short sightedness imposed by election cycles
and develop sensible future oriented policies. Realistic,
empirically
grounded, and most importantly, constructive, Future Publics is a
wonderful and original contribution to contemporary democratic
theory." -- Simone Chambers, Professor of Political Science,
University of California, Irvine
"A ground-breaking book. MacKenzie combines a rigorous analysis of
the different elements of democratic myopia with a systematic
account of the reasons why we can expect deliberation to be future
regarding and questions of institutional design. The literature on
democracy and future generations is in its infancy and Future
Publics will be a highly influential reference point as work in
this area matures." -- Graham Smith, Professor of Politics,
University of Westminster
"Michael MacKenzie shows effectively how inclusive deliberation can
render political systems more capable of giving due weight to the
long term and proceeds in compelling fashion to supply
institutional correctives lenses for the myopia that currently
plagues democratic systems. Future Publics should be recognized as
the definitive treatment of this crucial topic in democratic theory
and practice." -- John Dryzek, John Dryzek, Centenary
Professor,
Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance, University
of Canberra
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