Deliberative Democracy in Denmark

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Deliberative Democracy in Denmark

• Director, Lars Klüver
• The Danish Board of Technology
• Taipei, August 2005

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Overview of presentation

• Denmark and Danish Democracy
• The Case of Technology Assessment
• Danish Board of Technology
• Methods of Technology Assessment
• Why participation in policy analysis?

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Denmark

• Population 5 mil. / Area 42 K.sq.km / Kingdom /
  Rich welfare society / Agriculture, fishery,
  foods, pharmaceuticals, energy technology, oil,
  design (furniture, textiles, household
  articles), shipping / Liberal/Conservative
  coalition at government

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Danish History of Enlightenment

• Philosopher N.F.S.Grundtvig important in
  formulating the constitution 1849
• Light is in the mouth- debate and experience
  the basis for understanding
• Initiator of peasant self-education systems
• Founder of Peoples Enlightenment Movement
• People high-schools and Citizen houses
  established last decades of 19th century

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Danish democracy

• 1849 first constitution, latest revision 1953
• Constitutional monarchy
• 1 chamber Folketinget Peoples Chamber
• Enlightenment integrated in political culture
• Basis for democracy is general education and
  deliberation/debate
• Enlightenment supported i.e. economic support
  to enlightenment institutions, to the press, and
  institutionalisation of independent councils

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Deliberative democracy in practice

• Embedded in organisational culture
• Self-organisation in NGOs parties leisure
  life Trade Unions
• Consensus-culture in management and politics
• Social/democratic skills prioritised in education
• Formally established procedures
• Public hearings in i.e. physical planning
• Citizens in boards of schools, kinder-gardens
• Institutions with responsibility for debate,
  enlightenment and participation

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Well, that sounds ideal..

• Denmark is also
• Power-games as everywhere else
• Political disagreement Consensus culture ? lack
  of discussion
• Contesting of democratic rules of game
• Inequality, as it is embedded in a capitalistic,
  growth-oriented society
• Social struggles racism egoism ..
• You name it we got it

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The Case of Technology Assessment

• Danish Board of Technology
• Established by law 1985
• Self governing, independent institution
• Connected to Ministry of Science, Technology and
  Development
• Formal link to Committee of Science Technology,
  Danish Parliament
• Chairman, Board of Governors, and Board of
  Representatives appointed by Minister and
  Committee of Science

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Organisation

• Secretariat 9 project manager man-years
• 10 mil. DKK
• 53 mil. TWD

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Aims Objectives Policy analysis

• Follow the technological development
• Carry out comprehensive assessments on
  possibilities and consequences of technology for
  society and the citizen
• Communicate results to decision-makers and the
  population, and support the technology debate
• Give advice to Parliament and Government

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3 dimensions of policy analysis
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Technology assessment is communication
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Aim situation determines the tool

• Do we look for knowledge, norms or solutions?
• Whom should speak with whom?
• Point of technology innovation
• Timing
• State of political/public/scientific debate
• Political agendas
• What does it take to intervene?
• ..

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Some tools at the DBT

• Citizen Consultation
• Consensus Conference
• Citizen Summit
• Perspective Workshop
• Interview Meeting
• Voting conference
• Stakeholder involvement
• Future Search
• Policy Exercise
• Scenario Workshop

• Expert Analysis
• Work Groups
• Conferences Workshops
• Structured Brainstorms
• Advisory function
• Parliamentary Hearings
• Future Panel
• Early Warning Briefings
• Public Debate
• Local Debate Fund
• Debate Products/ www

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Impacts of participation in TA
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Prerequisites
 

• Political culture of open democracy
• Institutional setting allows for expansion of
  method range into open processes
• Budget makes public events possible
• Staff competencies as process managers
• Involved actors back up initiatives
• Institution trusted as independent 3rd part

 
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Participation and deliberation in policy analysis
Why?

• For principle reasons
• Searching social coherence
• Managing uncertainty and inequality
• Involving the involved
• Citizen and affected as democratic basis
• And for professional
• Managing communication
• Including broad knowledge and value base
• Ensuring policy analysis to have high credibility

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Or, in short

• From a professional policy analysis point of
  view, the goal is better informed decisions, the
  means often is deliberative processes, and a
  possible side-effect is increased democracy.

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Thank you!

• LK_at_tekno.dk