Our Manifesto

The Evidence

Why This Section Matters

What we propose is not a thought experiment. It is a tested practice, with a track record stretching across continents and decades. This section presents the evidence - plainly, accessibly, and without exaggeration.

What Other Countries Have Already Built

Ireland - Citizens' Assemblies on Constitutional Questions

In 2012, Ireland convened a Citizens' Assembly to consider constitutional reform. Ninety-nine randomly selected citizens, plus an independent chair, deliberated on questions including same-sex marriage, abortion, and climate change. Their recommendations were put to referendum. Same-sex marriage passed in 2015. Abortion rights passed in 2018.

The Irish model demonstrated that ordinary citizens, given time and evidence, can tackle the most contentious questions with more wisdom and less toxicity than professional politicians.

Belgium - The Permanent Citizens' Dialogue

The German-speaking community of Belgium established a permanent citizens' council in 2019. Twenty-four randomly selected citizens serve one-year terms. They set the agenda for deliberative panels, which produce recommendations for the regional parliament. The parliament is required to respond publicly to every recommendation.

Brazil - Participatory Budgeting

Since the 1980s, cities across Brazil have used participatory budgeting - a process in which residents decide directly how to allocate portions of the municipal budget. The most famous example is Porto Alegre, where participatory budgeting transformed local infrastructure, reduced corruption, and increased civic engagement.

India - Kerala's Peoples' Plan

In 1996, the Indian state of Kerala devolved 35-40% of its state budget to local governments, with decisions made through gram sabhas - village assemblies open to all residents. The result: dramatic improvements in literacy, health, and infrastructure.

Spain - Barcelona en Comú

Barcelona en Comú, a citizens' platform, won control of Barcelona's city government in 2015. They implemented Decidim - an open-source digital platform for participatory democracy - which has since been adopted by cities and organisations worldwide.

What the Record Establishes

• Ordinary citizens make better decisions - Citizens' assemblies consistently produce recommendations that are more evidence-based, less partisan, and more widely trusted than those produced by professional politicians.
• Deliberation reduces polarisation - People who enter assemblies with fixed positions leave with more nuanced views and greater understanding of opposing perspectives.
• Participation increases trust - Regions with participatory governance show higher levels of civic trust and lower levels of corruption.
• It works at scale - From villages to regions to nations, participatory democracy has been implemented successfully across a range of contexts.

From Evidence to British Architecture

The evidence from other countries shows that participatory democracy works. The question is not whether it can work in Britain, but how we adapt it to British circumstances, British institutions, and British expectations.

That is what Participate is designed to do.