Directer Democracy with Roslyn Fuller

Can there be too much democracy? What are anti-democrats and how do they undermine democracy? How can direct democratic instruments give people more decision making power? Are citizen assemblies a way to strengthen democracy? I discuss these and many more questions with Roslyn Fuller who has written extensively on defending democracy. 

Democracy needs to be defended not only against autocrats and authoritarian forces, but also against so-called anti-democrats that think the political and intellectual elites know better and should decide in lieu of the rest of society. Democracy needs to be defended against those who want to restrict the right to participate and the right to decide.

Direct democracy offers a powerful option to give people more decision making power and hence more control of the political process, but it has to be applied and used with caution and we seek to correct some of the misunderstandings around this powerful political tool.

Roslyn also shares her experiences with citizen assemblies that are currently organized all over, and explains why she does not support them as a tool to strengthen democracy. Finally, we also discuss the risks and opportunities of digital technologies for democratic institutions.

Dr. Roslyn Fuller has written several books on democracy, the latest titled “In Defence of Democracy”.  She was educated in Germany and Ireland with a PhD in International Law from Trinity College, in Dublin. Roslyn’s experience as a lecturer, author, and political consultant has given her unique insights into structures of public governance and, above all, the mechanics of political power. Her relentless defence of people power has seen her articles and interviews published in countless newspapers and magazines.

Find the show notes with links to all material discussed here: https://rulesofthegame.blog/directer-democracy/

Follow Roslyn Fuller's research on her website: https://www.roslynfuller.com/ and on Twitter: https://twitter.com/roslynfuller

Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Roslyn Fuller.