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whether that be improving the quality of democracy or, in this case,
increasing the likelihood that policies for ecological governance will
enjoy public support.
eld
A further criticism of the theory of deliberation is that it anticipates a
neutral space for debate in which participants cast off their
6.3.2 Levelling the playing
'
everyday
'
identities and interests and take on a citizen persona
'
simply by virtue of
.
77
The contention is that deliber-
ation, when it is conducted in the real world, is more likely to re
coming into some deliberative forum
'
ect and
replicate existing power relationships between different strata of society,
the private and public sectors, and those motivated by economic or
environmental matters, than to transform them.
78
This concern over
power relations has two aspects. The
rst is that deliberative processes
may favour those possessing the education, knowledge and experience to
participate effectively, the feared effect being that outcomes will inevi-
tably correspond with their desires.
79
In contrast, those who are less
well-blessed with the capacities to engage in debate, and the basic
requirements of time and
nancial ability to take part, may be marginal-
ised in the process or effectively excluded from it. Deliberation
'
spoten-
tially bene
cial effects would be severely restricted if,
in practice,
participatory processes simply hold
a mirror up to the pattern of
power in the community; if the rich and well-organized are heard,
while the poor and minorities are weakly represented
'
.
80
The second is that economically and socially powerful actors may not
approach deliberation with a willingness to listen to others and to be
persuaded, but may instead see it as an opportunity to manipulate public
opinion.
81
Tewdwr-Jones and Allmendinger are pessimistic about the
possibilities for actualising the deliberative ideal when it is likely that
'
77
Owens,
'
Engaging the Public
'
, 1146.
78
Barton,
'
Underlying Concepts
'
, p. 109; Tewdwr-Jones and Allmendinger,
'
Deconstructing
Communicative Rationality
'
, 1981, 1985; Baber and Bartlett,
'
Deliberative Environmental
,p.167.
79
Tewdwr-Jones and Allmendinger,
Politics
'
'
Deconstructing Communicative Rationality
'
, 1986;
Baber and Bartlett,
'
Deliberative Environmental Politics
'
, pp. 167
-
71.
80
Barton,
,p.109.
81
Tewdwr-Jones and Allmendinger,
'
Underlying Concepts
'
'
Deconstructing Communicative Rationality
'
, 1981, 1985;
Baber and Bartlett,
'
Deliberative Environmental Politics
'
, p. 179; Stokes,
'
Pathologies of
Deliberation
, p. 148 on the in
uence of
disproportionate funding and media campaigns on the outcomes of referenda.
'
, p. 123. See also Smith,
'
Liberal Democracy
'
