9 Participation Disempowered: Polish Participatory Budgeting and a Missed Chance for Citizen Empowerment
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Joanna Podgórska-Rykała
Abstract
The role of participatory budgeting (PB) in shaping civic attitudes and empowering citizens is unique. PB is the primary tool for the direct empowerment of citizens throughout the world, Poland being no exception. Poland is considered one of the global leaders in PB numbers. There is already extensive literature on Polish PB discussing its structures and specificity. The objective of this chapter is to assess the degree to which PB facilitates actual citizen empowerment. Presented are the biggest shortcomings of Polish PB, ones that overtly conflict with good practices of participatory and deliberative democracy. We posit that, in its current form, Polish PB is neither a deliberative democratic innovation nor a tool for the redistribution of political power in favor of the average citizen. It also does not constitute a school of democracy for citizens, strengthening their participatory competence. The flaws existing in Polish PB from its inception have intensified considerably with the adoption of the 2018 legislature imposing uniformization in the use of PB.
Abstract
The role of participatory budgeting (PB) in shaping civic attitudes and empowering citizens is unique. PB is the primary tool for the direct empowerment of citizens throughout the world, Poland being no exception. Poland is considered one of the global leaders in PB numbers. There is already extensive literature on Polish PB discussing its structures and specificity. The objective of this chapter is to assess the degree to which PB facilitates actual citizen empowerment. Presented are the biggest shortcomings of Polish PB, ones that overtly conflict with good practices of participatory and deliberative democracy. We posit that, in its current form, Polish PB is neither a deliberative democratic innovation nor a tool for the redistribution of political power in favor of the average citizen. It also does not constitute a school of democracy for citizens, strengthening their participatory competence. The flaws existing in Polish PB from its inception have intensified considerably with the adoption of the 2018 legislature imposing uniformization in the use of PB.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Series Editor’s Preface vii
- List of Figures and Tables ix
- Notes on Contributors x
- Approaching Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 1
- Theorizing Citizenship Practices in Europe 18
- Polarizing the Curriculum: Culture Wars about Citizenship and Civic Education 43
- European Parliament Elections in East Central Europe: Participation, Eurosceptic Voting, and Perceptions of Young People 64
- Long-Distance Citizenship in East Central and Eastern Europe 89
- Digital Technologies and Citizen Agency During Crises: Democratic Engagement in Ukraine and Belarus 109
- Civic Digital Participation for Rural Development: Lessons from a German Survey of LEADER Regions 138
- Being or Becoming Political? Performative Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 158
- Participation Disempowered: Polish Participatory Budgeting and a Missed Chance for Citizen Empowerment 180
- Attitudes of German Youth Regarding the War in Ukraine 204
- Concepts of Citizenship in the Educational Materials of the EU and the Council of Europe 221
- Citizenship Education in Central and Eastern Europe: Perspectives and Desiderata of Transnationally Networked NGOs 241
- The Politics of Civic Education in the Post-Yugoslav Region 257
- Charting Paths Forward for Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 279
- Index 292
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Series Editor’s Preface vii
- List of Figures and Tables ix
- Notes on Contributors x
- Approaching Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 1
- Theorizing Citizenship Practices in Europe 18
- Polarizing the Curriculum: Culture Wars about Citizenship and Civic Education 43
- European Parliament Elections in East Central Europe: Participation, Eurosceptic Voting, and Perceptions of Young People 64
- Long-Distance Citizenship in East Central and Eastern Europe 89
- Digital Technologies and Citizen Agency During Crises: Democratic Engagement in Ukraine and Belarus 109
- Civic Digital Participation for Rural Development: Lessons from a German Survey of LEADER Regions 138
- Being or Becoming Political? Performative Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 158
- Participation Disempowered: Polish Participatory Budgeting and a Missed Chance for Citizen Empowerment 180
- Attitudes of German Youth Regarding the War in Ukraine 204
- Concepts of Citizenship in the Educational Materials of the EU and the Council of Europe 221
- Citizenship Education in Central and Eastern Europe: Perspectives and Desiderata of Transnationally Networked NGOs 241
- The Politics of Civic Education in the Post-Yugoslav Region 257
- Charting Paths Forward for Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 279
- Index 292
