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Investing in Deliberation: A Cornerstone for Stronger Democracy

As public budgets are being reviewed and set, it is worth considering where deliberative democracy fits within our broader political framework. For years, I have facilitated Citizens’ Assemblies and mini-publics, witnessing how these processes sharpen and strengthen our local democracies. Deliberative democracy, a concept as old as democracy itself, provides a structured way to bring diverse voices into decision making: voices that might otherwise be overlooked.

Deliberative practices, such as Citizens’ Assemblies, gained broader recognition when movements like Extinction Rebellion called for their use to explore public perspectives on climate change. But their significance extends far beyond environmental policy. Today, both state and non-state organisations (local councils, think tanks, and universities) are increasingly using deliberative tools to shape policy and foster meaningful social change. By enabling a microcosm of the public to articulate their experiences and perspectives during a well structured learning phase, these processes build the foundations for robust and inclusive decision making.

The Importance of the Learning Phase

Deliberation is more than discussion; it is a process of deeply engaging with ideas, trade-offs, and each other. The learning phase of an assembly is pivotal. Some mistakenly view this phase as a one-way exchange where participants passively absorb information from so called ‘experts’. But a well designed process transforms this into a dynamic and reciprocal experience. Participants not only engage with expert insights but also share their own experiences, stories, and values, creating a collective understanding of the issue at hand.

Storytelling is central to this phase. I have seen participants express themselves through humour, poetry, and passionate debate. These moments of connection are essential for fostering understanding and mutual respect. Yet, too often, institutions try to rush this phase, cramming in expert presentations at the expense of meaningful interaction between participants. Over time, I have become more steadfast in protecting this space: ensuring that participants’ voices and lived experiences are prioritised over external inputs.

A Surprising Outcome?

One moment that has stayed with me this year came from a participant in our Citizens’ Assembly on trade and climate change (report is being launched in parliament on 3^rd December if you are interested in coming along).   At the start, he was convinced that the people in the room – people he believed he had absolutely nothing in common with -would never align with him in any way. By the end, he expressed astonishment at how, together, they had developed recommendations that both he and others could be proud of.

While this surprise was genuine for him, it was unsurprising from the perspective of a well designed and professionally delivered deliberation process. The structure, facilitation, and intentional diversity built into the process allow participants to see past their assumptions and discover common ground. It is this transformation – from scepticism to collaboration – that demonstrates the power of deliberation to overcome polarisation and build understanding.

A Call to Decision-Makers

This is a call to decision makers in political institutions and organisations committed to democratising their processes: deliberation should be considered as seriously as communications, messaging, and your public relations. Deliberative processes are not about telling people what they need to know but about creating the conditions for authentic, two-way dialogue that builds trust and legitimacy.

These processes have broad applications: they can be used to address complex topics such as tackling poverty and homelessness, place shaping, the future of policing, infrastructure changes, health and wellbeing, employment practices, tackling racism, exploring universal basic incomes, designing local transport policies, developing climate strategies, shaping arts and cultural initiatives – I could go on. Whether the goal is to address contentious issues or explore innovative solutions, deliberation creates the space for people to engage meaningfully with decisions that affect their lives.

A Practice Worth Embedding

At a time when resources are stretched thin, it might seem counterintuitive to invest in deliberation. Yet it is precisely in these moments that we need deliberation the most. Public budgets should naturally include resources for recruiting participants, compensating their time, and ensuring independent facilitation. These are investments in making better, more informed decisions.

Deliberation strengthens democracy. It empowers citizens. And, as I have seen time and again, it transforms scepticism into collaboration, disagreement into understanding, and disconnection into a sense of shared purpose. I end with the often used statement: the question is not whether we can afford to invest in deliberation it is whether we can afford not to!