Abstract
Democratic participation refers to acts that are intended to influence the behavior of those empowered to make decisions. In a society where participation is a value, in ability to participate represents a severe deprivation. This essay focuses on participation vis-à-vis governmental decision- makers, though the term refers to nongovernmental decisions as well. The variety of participatory acts is discussed, as are the conditions for effective participation. There is need to consider a wide range of participatory acts, including par ticipation in relation to administrative decisions. In addition, one must study not only why citizens participate, but why decision-makers are responsive. Several problems of par ticipation are discussed, including the problems of scale, of technical complexity, and of inequalities in participation.
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