新作坊 Humanity Innovation and Social Practice

Democracy, participatory politics and development: some comparative lessons from Brazil, India and South Africa

摘要：

This article argues that in thinking about the challenges of inclusive democratic development in the global south we need to refocus attention on effective citizenship, that is, the actual capacity of citizens to make use of formal political and civic rights. Empirically this calls for closer analytic attention to the participatory dimensions of democracy and specifically to an examination of the political and institutional conditions under which decentralized participatory governance can be promoted. The essay reviews research findings from ambitious reform projects in participatory governance in Brazil, India (Kerala) and South Africa and draws out some comparative lessons that highlight the complex interplay of political parties and civil society.