Limitations of the e-Participation

Abstract

e-Participation was considered to be proper solution for the long term decline of political participation at different levels. However, recent events show that there is very limited space for the political participation, which is considered to be functional. The paper explores the changes in citizens' participation after the introduction of different e-Participation/ e-Democracy tools. Based on the results we want to justify the need to redefine the idea of ICT-supported participation and critically assess it, since no systematic change is visible in the patterns as well as in the actions of individuals. The basic observation can be formulated in the sense, that the ICT tools predominantly facilitate the participation of those who would actively participate in the first place, but they do not increase activation of those people, who are refusing to participate.