Luiz Carlos Bresser-Pereira
Novos Estudos CEBRAP 71, março 2005: 77-91.
In developed countries, democracy was liberal during the first half of the XXth century and social democratic during the second. At the present moment, it is in transition to republican or participative democracy. Liberal democracy was elitist, and social democracy was pluralist, since on it the general opinion of electors has become the main preoccupation of politicians. Lately, democracy is becoming republican or participative because citizens attemp more and more at influencing political decision through civil society organizations. In the future, one could think about a deliberative democracy, since public debate is enhanced, political advocacy gets stronger and the responsibility of politicians is reinforced. A brief review of the literature concerning participative democracy states the argument.
