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- Title
SYNTHESIS.
- Authors
Kloman, Erasmus H.
- Abstract
For public participation to have a significant impact on decision making in the nation's highest legislative body, there will have to be some radical departures from past patterns of behavior. Progress in this area will depend on how far big business and big government are willing to go in giving visibility to the issues involved in technological choices. It will also depend on developing a much better informed lay public whose representatives are capable of being an integral part of the decision-making process. In the past, public opinion has usually been too slow to crystallize to make meaningful impacts on the formation of public policy. The groups now seeking to stimulate public participation face an enormous challenge to educate their constituencies so that they can cut down the information time lag. Fortunately for the future of the democratic process in this technology-dominated times, public interest groups and voluntary organizations are demonstrating great vitality. They are educating themselves on the issues presented by technology. They are spurred on by the growing recognition that past decisions to develop certain technologies have had unacceptable consequences. They are encouraged by the increasing evidence that well- organized and disciplined citizen groups can influence decision making at all levels of bureaucracy in both the public and private sectors.
- Subjects
POLITICAL participation; DECISION making; LEGISLATIVE bodies; BIG business; TECHNOLOGY indicators; PUBLIC opinion
- Publication
Public Administration Review, 1975, Vol 35, Issue 1, p80
- ISSN
0033-3352
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2307/975210