About

The Democracy Series

The Democracy Series is a major new project aimed at stimulating constructive debate on a range of issues central to the future of democratic politics. The Series draws together a range of experts from a variety of professional backgrounds and political persuasions, who will contribute essays and commentaries on six broad themes:

Democracy and Islam
Democracy and Voting
Democracy and Capitalism
Democracy and Political Parties
Democracy and Intervention
Democracy and the Future of the British Constitution

Each publication is available for free download from this website. An online debate will be hosted over a period of three weeks after the publication of each booklet to enable wider discussion about the issues involved.

We welcome contributions from people of any and all ages, backgrounds and political persuasions. However, to ensure that the discussion is conducted in a fair manner, we ask that participants first register with the site.

For each debate a summary report will be produced and distributed online. These reports will serve as a permanent record of the views expressed by participants.

Development of the Democracy Series

The Democracy Series is organised by the Hansard Society and administered by an editorial board (see below). The Series is supported by the Ministry of Justice (former DCA).

Hansard Society

The Hansard Society is an independent, non-partisan educational charity, which exists to promote effective parliamentary democracy. The health of democratic society depends in large part on the extent to which its citizens are politically engaged. Hence, the Hansard Society’s guiding objectives are educating people of all ages about the basic principles of parliamentary democracy, and exploring ways to strengthen the links between citizens and representative political institutions.

The Society sees the Democracy Series as an important part of its work in stimulating debate about the form and nature of representative democracy in the 21st Century.

For further information, visit www.hansardsociety.org.uk.

Ministry of Justice (MOJ)

The Ministry of Justice was created on May 9, 2007. The responsibilities of the Department for Constitutional Affairs have transferred to the MOJ:

driving forward the reform and improvement of the justice system;
reforming and safeguarding the constitution so it serves the public effectively;
increasing public faith in government and politics;
re-engaging public trust in the institutions of government.

For further information, visit www.justice.gov.uk.

The Democracy Series editorial board

The Board consists of: