participatory democracy

Or participant democracy

noun

1. individual participation by citizens in political decisions and policies that affect their lives, especially directly rather than through elected representatives.

Word History and Origins

Origin of participatory democracy¹

First recorded in 1965–70

When To Use

What is participatory democracy?

Participatory democracy happens when individual citizens of a democracy participate in the formation of policies and laws through consistent engagement.Participatory refers to something that involves active participation. Democracy is a form of government in which power is held by the people. If the people themselves vote directly on policies and laws, it is called a direct democracy. If they elect representatives to make laws and policies, it is called a representative democracy. (Most modern, Western-style democracies, including the United States and the United Kingdom, are forms of representative democracies.) The term participatory democracy refers to something somewhere in between: the people elect leaders but also play a role in forming policies.Participatory democracy is all about participation. Its goal is to ensure that all citizens, not just politicians, have a real say in the creation of the rules and programs that make up their government.