Changing constitutions through 'deliberative voting': A new approach

TL;DRAbstract

'Deliberative Voting' describes a new kind of constitutional referendum. It is a
\n'deliberative democratic' innovation, which means that it aims to solve one of
\nthe oldest tensions of democratic lawmaking - between robust citizen
\ninvolvement and careful deliberation. While citizen participation in lawmaking
\nis desirable, it is also usually problematic. Few people outside of government
\nhave the time or expertise for well-informed, rigorous and reflective
\ndeliberation over the making of new laws. Normally we therefore delegate
\nlawmaking to parliaments, whose members we expect will be suitably
\ninformed. Yet the solution of delegation is increasingly untenable - and
\nundesirable - in the unique case of constitutional lawmaking. Leaving voters
\nout of a process of reform now attracts convincing charges that both the
\nprocess and the constitution it yields are illegitimate. Back in 1901, Australia
\nthus became the second coun

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