Can Deliberation Cure the Ills of Democracy?

by James S. Fishkin, forthcoming from Oxford University Press

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In our modern world of propaganda, social media enclaves, misinformation, and manipulation, the connection between 'the will of the people' and political action has broken down, political divisions are becoming increasingly intractable, and democracies are growing ever more ungovernable. Democracy is in crisis.

In Can Deliberation Cure the Ills of Democracy?, James S. Fishkin argues that deliberative democracy can have surprisingly positive effects on all of these problems and charts a unique path to fixing them with his method of Deliberative Polling. After decades of applying and perfecting the methods of deliberative democracy in countries all over the world, this book synthesizes the results of 150 applications and shows how the method can be applied to resolve many of democracy's seemingly intractable challenges. It can clarify the public will and depolarize our divisions. It can be applied to major national and local decisions, it can spread in schools, it can be used by corporations, it can make for more meaningful ballot propositions, it can help reform the primary system, it can scale with technology, and most importantly, it can help reform electoral democracy, help preserve the guardrails that protect the electoral process, and provide key policy inputs in almost every contested issue area from climate change to the rights of minorities.

Fishkin demonstrates that deliberative democracy is a practical solution if applied widely and lays out a vision for how to combine elections with deliberation to build a more deliberative society, one that cures our extreme partisanship and leads to substantive dialogues that foster mutual respect and more engaged voters. Deliberation provides a story of thoughtful empowerment and democratic reform, strengthening but not replacing our current institutions.

Praise & Reviews

"In this excellent book, James Fishkin brilliantly illuminates the essence of what democracy is and what it needs to survive. At this moment in world history, we are all lucky to have the benefit of Fishkin's wisdom." -Michael Beschloss, author of Presidents of War

"Drawing on decades of pioneering research and real-world application, Fishkin reveals how inclusive deliberation builds trust, bridges divides, and revitalizes civic engagement. This is more than a vision; it's a compelling roadmap for how guided, balanced dialogue can unlock collective wisdom, reimagine our institutions, and restore public faith in a shared future." -Audrey Tang, Taiwan's First Digital Minister

"Terrific, valuable, inspired, and inspiring. A massive contribution to democratic theory and democratic practice." -Cass R. Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor, Harvard University, and author of Climate Justice

"No scholar has more consistently offered us hope about a better way to realize the potential of democracy. This book crystallizes a career of critical work and maps a strategy for rediscovering what democracy could be. Deliberation, when properly implemented, can inform the public, foster consensus, and enhance democratic legitimacy, while ensuring that all voices are heard equally. These have always been the ideals of democracy. Fishkin again offers a plan to make them real." -Lawrence Lessig, Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership, Harvard Law School

"Despite the worldwide rise of demagogic dictatorship, Fishkin's book offers a realistic pathway to the reinvigoration of democratic life in the twenty-first century. As he shows, constitutional reform in a host of countries has already been profoundly shaped by the concrete studies of citizen deliberation organized by Stanford under his leadership. Even more importantly, he marks out the very different ways these studies can inspire future reform efforts to preserve the foundations of Enlightenment democracy against demagogic assault." -Bruce A. Ackerman, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science, Yale University

"A powerful and masterful vision of democracy in which deliberative institutions supplement the beleaguered institutions of competitive democracy and support a deliberative society. Drawing on decades of evidence from Deliberative Polling, Fishkin shows the potential of representative deliberative processes for de-polarizing publics, representing new voices, addressing social justice issues, and providing new sources of legitimacy for democracy. Urgent, timely, and essential reading for an era in which the democratic project seems to be stalled or backsliding." -Mark E. Warren, University of British Columbia and President of the American Political Science Association, 2023-2024