Adapting Public Consultation to Different Political Cultures

Public consultation which is also known as public involvement or public participation has been developed in 1930s in the North America. Now, the World Bank, the European Bank and other banks all over the world have started using public consultation.  Some countries which have gotten the form of democratic governance with no tradition of either the democratic or of the classic liberalism have also started introducing public consultation. On the other hand, other dictatorship countries have also required the public consultation.

Taking in to account the Adoption of Public Consultation to Different Political Cultures, there are several works to be considered. Starting from Sherry Arnstein to Jim Crieghton there several approaches to public consultation. The objective of the public consultation focus to develop an informed, visible, majority public understanding, acceptance and support for a valid proposal by a corporation or government agency.

At the same time there are several which are to be prevented and resolve. Especially the changing social, political and economical climate has got an impact. This change from relatively small stable communities to larger and rapidly changing communities is to be examined carefully. It is natural to confront the citizens’ resistance to change especially when they can’t grasp the methods and goals of the change and the proposal. There are also some government agencies and organizations which fail to adapt to the changing times.

Preparation of a social profile is the beginning of a typical public consultation. It has to acquire a systematic and comprehensive understanding of the community, region and the people of that community.

There are some important concepts in the public consultation which has to be noted carefully; generating an informed public goodwill is essential, a mutual education process is mandatory, paying attention also to the secondary beneficiaries rather than the major stakeholders is important, and building trust is obligatory. One should also focus on the importance of equity so that a fair solution can be developed to problems.

Concentration on the Political Cultures, the 193 countries around has got their own political cultures which include a set of values, goals, social structures, and processes. These countries were separated in to 118 democratic societies and 75 command societies. Half of the democracies which are taken are liberal whereas the other half are illiberal.

There are six different steps which are put forth for adapting Public consultation.

• A National social profile has to be prepared.
• Case studies have to prepared.
• The nature of a program of Public consultation has to be explained.
• The national social profile has to reviewed when there is significant provincial government for better understanding.
• Social profile for each indigenous community has to be prepared
• The practitioners should be prepared to work with indigenous group.

Questions

• What are the six different steps for adapting Public consultation?
• What are political cultures?