Democracy paradoxes in multi-level governance: theorizing on structural fund system research
Title:
Democracy paradoxes in multi-level governance: theorizing on structural fund system research
Author:
Olsson, Jan
Appeared in:
Journal of European public policy
Paging:
Volume 10 (2003) nr. 2 pages 283-300
Year:
2003-04
Contents:
This article examines the EU structural fund system from a democratic point of view and starts theorizing on the nature of basic democracy problems. The analysis is guided by a parliamentary, a pluralistic and an elite-democratic model. None of these models seems to fit well with how the system works in practice, summarized as top-down and technocratic with important vertical co-ordination between administrative levels, which tends to marginalize the role of democratic institutions. Five types of fundamental problem are identified and analysed in terms of democracy paradoxes (multi-level, vertical, economic, horizontal, multi-demos). It is difficult to dissolve these paradoxes because they reflect existing structural fund institutions. In order to democratize, they need to be challenged, either by regulating partnerships in a more democratic way or by challenging the partnership principle with the parliamentary principle.
Journal description