In this episode, we examine how participatory budgeting offers a pathway to rebuilding governance systems that benefit everyone, not just the wealthy or those with political connections. Originating in Porto Alegre, Brazil, participatory budgeting enables ordinary citizens to decide how public funds are spent, nurturing stronger accountability and inclusive governance. By embedding citizen participation into financial decision-making, democracy becomes tangible rather than theoretical.
We also examine how ranked-choice voting and electoral reform enhance the same democratic impulse. Both aim to dilute elite influence and amplify diverse voices in government. When combined with community-driven budgeting initiatives, these systems distribute power horizontally rather than concentrating it in a few hands, fostering fairness and transparency.
We consider how participatory budgeting in democratic systems can coexist with modern reforms that enhance the resilience of democracy. Whether through better voting systems or local control of resources, these inclusive governance tools invite citizens back into the process. The episode presents a straightforward argument: democracy only thrives when people are more than spectators—they must be the architects of their own society.
Related
Elite Theory and the Drift of Democracy
https://cypressandstar.net/elite-theory-and-the-drift-of-democracy
Musk vs. the Judiciary: Undermining Democracy?
http://cypressan.libsyn.com/musk-vs-the-judiciary-undermining-democracy
The Democratic Dilemma: Answering America's Primal Scream URL https://cypressandstar.net/the-democratic-dilemma-answering-americas-primal-scream
Sources
https://aceproject.org/main/english/ei/eiy_nz01.htm
https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/600841468017069677/participatory-budgeting-in-brazil
https://effectivegov.uchicago.edu/primers/ranked-choice-voting
https://electionscience.org/
https://electionstudies.org/papers-documents/conference-papers/the-psychology-of-voting-and-election-campaigns/the-psychology-of-voting-and-election-campaigns-about-the-psychology-of-voting/
https://elections.nz/democracy-in-nz/what-is-new-zealands-system-of-government/what-is-mmp/a-royal-commission-and-two-referendums/
https://elections.nz/democracy-in-nz/what-is-new-zealands-system-of-government/what-is-mmp/the-history-of-mmp/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_New_Zealand_electoral_reform_referendum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruism_theory_of_voting
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-past-the-post_voting
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranked_voting
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitary_executive_theory
https://fairvote.org/our-reforms/fair-representation-act/
https://fairvote.org/our-reforms/ranked-choice-voting/
https://fairvote.org/resources/electoral-systems/comparing-voting-methods/
https://internationalbudget.org/wp-content/uploads/Brazil-Toward-a-More-Inclusive-and-Effective-Participatory-Budget-in-Porto-Alegre1.pdf
https://isps.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/di-pb-2-3-23-v3.pdf
https://library.fes.de/libalt/journals/swetsfulltext/6859309.pdf
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/road-mmp
https://participedia.net/case/5524
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6927367/
https://time.com/5291882/ireland-abortion-ban-vote-results/
https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/election_law/american-democracy/our-work/proportional-representation/
https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/election_law/american-democracy/our-work/what-we-know-about-ranked-choice-voting-2025/
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/7-facts-about-voting-and-myths-being-spread-about-them
https://www.equal.vote/fv
https://www.involve.org.uk/news-opinion/opinion/citizens-assembly-behind-irish-abortion-referendum
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/unitary_executive_theory_%28uet%29
https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/innovative-citizen-participation-and-new-democratic-institutions_339306da-en.html
https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/open-government-and-citizen-participation.html
https://www.ourcommons.ca/content/Committee/421/ERRE/Brief/BR8391757/br-external/2PedenR-e.pdf
https://www.princeton.edu/~cuff/voting/theory.html
https://www.rcvresources.org/what-is-rcv/
https://www.rockthevote.org/explainers/ranked-choice-voting-an-explainer/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277539517304041
https://www.wri.org/research/porto-alegre-participatory-budgeting-and-challenge-sustaining-transformative-change
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEkoA4FAEPI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hnl3wcF2H8
