Participatory Budgeting

Participatory Budgeting (PB) first came to prominence in Porto Alegre in Brazil in 1988.  Simply put, it allows local people not only to prioritise expenditures, but also to come to a collective decision on the allocation of funds.  This can hardly be done by a majority vote, but it can be done by ranking the various options in order of preference, i.e. by an MBC.  Rankings can be measured in other ways, of course; but in June 2008, in a paper on consensus voting presented at a PB seminar held in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, this Institute argued for the MBC.  In the subsequent round-up of opinions, much enthusiam was expressed: and in the words of one participamt, "I am persuaded". 

Participatory budgeting is not a threat to representative democracy; rather, the former can enhance the latter.  We hope other pilots will follow.