Yesterday in my political theory class, we did a test on democracy and participation. With the midterm elections next week, I asked them to identify the ways that they could enhance their citizenship and increase democratic participation. Last night, while musing through their comments, I was compelled to bring the question to this blog.
I remember reading Making Democracy Work by Robert Putnam in graduate school. In it, Putnam examines the civic culture of northern and southern Italy and concludes that democratic participation can be measured in various ways. The institutions alone do not make democracy. Their stability can and should be rooted in the civic culture that they serve.
Obviously, voting is one measure of participation, but it is not the only way one can participate in their community. Voting is a deliberate choice, and we must be deliberate in our choices.
Other methods include reading newspapers (now available online) and fostering the discussions around community issues and politics among your friends and family.
Democratic civic culture is like an ecosystem. The conditions for its responsiveness and effectiveness dynamically influence the institutions of governance. If the environment the institution is rooted in is apathetic, then the institution itself will not firmly root in its mission to serve the community.
So...what does your political ecosystem foster? How deliberative are you in your choice to participate in your community? Do your institutions of government effectively serve your community?
Most importantly, what are you willing to do about it?
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