Participatory democracy and its dark sides

The paper reflects on the concept of participatory democracy, in terms of its insertion in the space of two principles and, together, objectives to be made effective, through which the essence of democracy is articulated: popular sovereignty and participation. It begins by defining the phrase “participatory democracy”, highlighting the features that distinguish it from the “representative” and “direct” expression of democracy, as well as from bottom-up democracy. The aim is to provide a reflection on the contribution that participatory democracy can offer in terms of a democracy that is as effective as possible, without downplaying the risks that it presents and in the awareness of the structural dynamism, tension and incompleteness of democracy. Table of contents: 1. An essential premise: on the meaning of popular sovereignty and participation; 2. The distinctive quid of participatory democracy; 3. Participatory democracy between demands from below and mystifications; 4. Concluding observations between imagination and reality.