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 Participation
Rationale
Role
of Experts
Democracy
vs Technocracy
•
Decisions as
Technical
Opposition
to Participation
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Defining Decisions as
Technical
 Depoliticises
decisions
- decisions appear subject to
objective criteria like cost, efficiency
- difficult issues such as
conflicting interests can be avoided
- hides political choice and
priorities involved
- ethics, morals, human decency
considered a matter of opinion
- unspoken objectives, eg helping
industry can remain hidden
- limits arguments to technical
issues
Decisions
become expert terrain
- no need for public
involvement
- gives advantage to those with best
access to experts/information
Legitimation
of decisions
- can take advantage of public
respect for expertise
- invoking an authority instead of
evidence
- referring to own experts
advice
- referring to reports/studies
commissioned for the purpose
- experts used as mouthpieces like
lawyers
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