Het zou zomaar een zootje kunnen worden. Een Q-methodologisch onderzoek naar de ideeën van non- participanten over de relatie tussen representatieve en participatieve democratie op lokaal niveau

It could get messy. A Q-methodological research concerning the ideas of non-participants about the relationship between represen- tative and participative democracy on the local level. New forms of participatory and deliberative democracy gain popularity alongside tra- ditional representative democracy at the local level in the Netherlands. In this article we look at passive citizens de ned as citizens who do not participate in any of the new practices. how do they perceive the shift from traditional to new forms of democracy (de ned as stakeholder democracy, deliberative polling and associative or ‘do’ demo- cracy)? We performed a Q-methodological study to nd patterns of opinion among passive citizens. We found three patterns. critical citizens are critical about both tradi- tional representative democracy and new forms of democracy. Loyal citizens support traditional local democracy and do not think the shift to other forms is a change for the better. Distant citizens nd that politicians should rst and foremost uphold the law and act as referees when citizens disagree. This task has been neglected over the years but this de ciency cannot be remedied by new forms of democracy. all three patterns of opinion are cause for concern for the advocates of more participatory and deliberative democracy. While these new forms may restore faith in politics among active citizens they may simultaneously alienate passive citizens.