The Power of Participatory Democracy

This book examines whether and how participatory institutions (PIs) serve as a tool for strengthening democracy in the face of democratic decline. It draws on the case of Peru, a country that simultaneously has one of the most successful participatory democratic systems in the world and one of the most fragile democracies in Latin America. Drawing on two decades of original qualitative and quantitative research and data, the book explores how PIs affect the quality of democracy and how citizens feel about the state of democracy. It shows that under the right conditions, PIs can improve accountability, participation, and responsiveness-especially when supported by a strong legal framework and national institutional backing. Yet it also finds serious limits: design flaws, uneven implementation, and deeper structural challenges have curbed their broader impact. PIs show real promise, but only modest power as tools of democratic renewal.

Stephanie L. McNulty is the Honorable John C. and Katherine Kunkel Professor of Government at Franklin and Marshall College. She has written extensively about the expansion of participatory democracy around the world. Her work primarily focuses on Latin America and explores national laws that mandate participatory institutions in local and state governments. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, the American Association for University Women, and Fulbright.
Jared Abbott is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at California State University, Los Angeles. His research explores the causes and consequences of efforts to improve the representation of everyday citizens in public affairs, from large-scale experiments in participatory democracy to increasing the share of elected officials with working-class backgrounds. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in the American Journal of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, Comparative Politics, Governance, The Journal of Latin American Studies, World Development, and Electoral Studies.