From political democracy to the democratization of society: notes for a rereading of the concept of citizen participation in light of social democracy

Abstract

The following text constitutes the first report of the research project entitled “Citizen Participation in the phases of planning, management and execution of the Integrated System of Transport Mass/Megabús in the Metropolitan Area Center/ West Project.” The article draws on Norberto Bobbio’s theories to attempt to show how a change in the democratization process from a political democracy to social democracy in all institutions is necessary for social coexistence. From this understanding, the article goes on to seek to articulate the concepts of technological democracy and citizen participation in the Colombian case, based on reflections made by Eduard Aibar and Miguel Ángel Quintanill regarding the former, and by Fabio Velasquez and Esperanza González concerning the latter.