At the ERS, we’ve long campaigned for more involvement of citizens in the decisions that affect them. For politics to work for people like us, it needs to include people like us.
Too often, public debate collapses into argument and division. But it doesn’t have to be this way, we can have more productive ‘deliberative’ discussions.
Deliberation is long and careful discussion crafted towards making a decision. Deliberative meetings emphasise the importance of reflection and informed discussion in decision-making. We want things like this to become embedded into policy-making through the use of Citizens Assemblies: we’ve even helped to run two.
So what exactly are they, and what are the benefits of using them?
In simple terms, a Citizens’ Assembly is a group of people put together like a jury, who have been brought together to think about an important policy issue, with a view to make a final recommendation to policy-makers.
They bring together people from our community – teachers, doctors, scientists, shopkeepers, friends and family members, with checks in place to ensure that the group is a representative cross-section of society as a whole.
The assembly will be presented with all the evidence in order to learn together about the issue in question, before engaging in the deliberative process: a process of discussing and reflecting on the information they have learned, and how it might have shaped their thoughts on the policy matter.
The recommendations that Citizens’ Assemblies make are not binding, but rather act as a public compass in parliament, making sure decisions on key issues go in a direction that favours people like us, rather than politicians and their parties.
Learn more about what goes on in a Citizens’ Assembly
How do you participate in a Citizens’ Assembly?
Just like a jury, you can’t just volunteer to take part! This isn’t about a group of the ‘usual suspects’.
Most of us are familiar with the fact that juries are put together through a lottery. Participants are chosen for citizens assemblies in a similar way, however unlike jury service, attendance is not mandatory.
Are they truly representative?
Commendably, when citizens assemblies are done right, they’ll bring together a genuinely representative group of people.
The process – which is a type of ‘sortition’ – is designed to counteract under-represented groups’ barriers to participation, and to ensure that groups who are less likely to accept the invitation to attend will still be represented. Furthermore, participants are paid to attend, making economic concerns less of an obstacle.
This means that people from all walks of life will be able to have a say on the policy issue in question – not just the people with the loudest voices, or the most spare time.
What are the benefits of citizens assemblies?
Citizens assemblies are beneficial for a number of reasons.
For a start, because they are designed to be highly representative, they provide an opportunity for ordinary citizens to become more involved in politics. This means that people who might be too busy to get involved locally, and who may otherwise have been less likely to get involved in politics, will have a say. That is undoubtedly a win for democracy.
It’s also been argued that citizens assemblies, when they’re done right, might be a useful vehicle for driving up trust in politics. Given that, at the time of writing, the electorate’s trust in Britain’s system of government is at a record low, this potential benefit can only be a good thing.
Citizens’ Assemblies are also uniquely positioned to help resolve complex or polarising policy issues that lack a clear ‘correct’ answer – such as approaching the climate crisis, or assisted dying. For example, in 2020, Climate Assembly UK brought together over one hundred citizens to discuss how the UK should meet net zero targets. And in 2018, Ireland held a Citizens’ Assembly on abortion, which helped to shape policy on a divisive topic.
Following the General Election, the new government needs a clear insight into public opinion – opinion which has been shaped by key information and a thoughtful deliberative process – Citizens’ Assemblies are just the vehicle for this.
Let us know your thoughts on Citizens’ Assemblies