Cultivating autonomy : a case for deliberative and associational democracy

The thesis aims to justify liberal democracy on the cultivation of autonomy amongst its
citizens. The potential of deliberative democracy and associational democracy to
achieve this cultivation are then critically evaluated It is suggested that autonomy has
intrinsic value and an intrinsic connection to democracy, particularly in Western
democracies.
Deliberative democracy is justified as the most suitable model of decision-making to
cultivate autonomy due to its enhancement of public reason, speaker and hearer
autonomy. All three factors therefore encourage reflective preference transformation.
which is the defining mark of deliberative democracy.
A perfectionist case of deliberative democracy is further presented and associations in
civil society are evaluated as a location of deliberative democracy. It is argued that the
associations can achieve this by fulfilling four functions: they can be venues for
subsidiarity; provide information and representation; be schools of democracy; and
locations for governance. The fulfilment of these functions enables the
institutionalisation of deliberative democracy to overcome some of the threats of
complexity, pluralism, size and inequality. However, not all associations can achieve all
four functions and in order to do so, they must be internally democratic.
The associations also need to pursue a dualist strategy in relation to the state. This
involves a critical public sphere with informal networks of communication based upon
the norms of deliberative democracy. The public sphere should then set the agenda for
legislation through the `outside access model'. The second strand of the dualist strategy
is to gain access to legislative arenas. Associational mediating forums with power
devolved from the state, again based on the norms of deliberative democracy, are
advocated as a suitable method by which to achieve this.
This associational model differs from the neo-pluralist model of interest groups because
it is based upon the norms of deliberative democracy and can therefore promote the
common good and avoid the `mischief of factionalism'.
Finally, a case study of the Stanage Forum is considered I suggest that it approximates
the associational mediating forums and highlights where trade-offs between the ideal
and practice need to be, can be, should be and will be made.