A Reexamination of Citizen Politics on the Perspective of Republican Theory: Focusing on the Theoretical Background of Village Community Projects
- Author : Gye-Won Jo
- Journal : Comparative Democratic Studies (CDS)
- Publisher : Inje Institute of Democracy and Autonomy
- Volume : Vol.16 No.2
- Date : 2020. 12
Abstract : The purpose of this study is to critically review the theoretical background of the village community projects that have recently been attracting attention as a new model of citizen politics. The village community projects are based on attempts to restore communities that have lost social ties and have been fragmented in social relationships based on the principle of participation, governance and autonomy. From the perspective of republican theory, three main arguments are presented while reviewing the village community project normatively. First, it is difficult to say that the increase of associations or the expansion of association networks lead to community building in itself. It is necessary to form civic friendship based on the norm of non-domination as a resource of social solidarity. Second, collaborative governance does not strengthen the democratic contestation of citizens if it do not raise the countervailing power within civil society. Because collaborative governance can work as an informal procedure that complements democratic legitimacy, the civic capacity to check public decisions and offer alternatives can be weakened. Third, rather than focusing on increasing participation itself, legal and institutional devices should be prepared to guarantee freedom as non-domination of citizens. It is primarily important to establish conditions of social equality so that citizens can interact with each other by looking at each other as equal beings. Furthermore, it is necessary to reduce social exclusion caused by socioeconomic inequality through various policies that can increase equality of access to public spheres.