Abstract
John Dryzek's justification of deliberative democracy rests on a critique of instrumental rationality and a defence of Habermas's idea of communicative rationality. I question each stage of Dryzek's theory. It defines instrumental rationality broadly but only criticises narrow applications of it. It conflates communicative rationality with Habermas's idea of ‘discourse’ – the real motor of Dryzek's democratic theory. Deliberative democracy can be better defended by avoiding overstated criticisms of instrumental rationality, by altering the emphasis on communicative rationality, and by focusing more on different models of politics than different models of rationality. Dryzek's theory can thus present deliberative democracy as a better means to better ends – a more powerful and more positive position.
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Notes
Dryzek (1992, pp. 406–407). See also Dryzek (1987, pp. 200–205; 1990a, pp. 3–21; 1992, pp. 400–401, 406–409; 1994, pp. 160–165; 1995, pp. 111–115; 1998, pp. 589–590; 2000, pp. 21–22).
Dryzek (1992, p. 400; 1996, p. 93; 1997, p. 164; 1998, p. 589; 2000, p. 22; 2006a, p. 113). For slightly different definitions, see Dryzek (1987, p. 200; 1990a, pp. 3–4; 1994, p. 172).
Dryzek (1990a, pp. 14–15; 1993, p. 228; 1994, p. 165; 1996, pp. 107–108; 2000, p. 22; 2006b, p. 196). Note that Dryzek talks of autonomy differently (2006a, p. 85).
Dryzek (1990a, p. 15; 1992, pp. 406–409; 1996, p. 146; 2000, pp. 1–2, 21; 2006a, pp. 84–87, 113–115).
Dryzek (1987, p. 212; 1990a, p. 54; 1992, pp. 401, 408–411; 2000, p. 169).
Dryzek (1990a, p. 15, 72–73; 1993, p. 228–229).
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Acknowledgements
For comments and criticisms on earlier versions of parts of this article, I thank Sorin Baiasu, Kimberley Brownlee, Jonathan Davies, John Dryzek, Alan Hamlin, John Meadowcroft, Mick Moran, Peter Niesen, John Parkinson, Jon Quong, Nick Turnbull and my referees. I am especially grateful to John Dryzek for his detailed and gracious response to my criticisms in a much earlier version of this article. Versions of this article or parts of it were given at the Political Theory conference, Manchester Metropolitan University, 6–8 September 2006; a MANCEPT (Manchester Centre for Political Theory) seminar, University of Manchester, 2 May 2007; the Interpretation in Policy Analysis annual conference, Amsterdam, 29 May – 1 June 2007; and the ECPR General Conference, Pisa, 6–8 September 2007. I thank participants at these events for their comments.
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Blau, A. Rationality and deliberative democracy: A constructive critique of John Dryzek's democratic theory. Contemp Polit Theory 10, 37–57 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1057/cpt.2010.3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/cpt.2010.3