Deepening Distrust: Why Participatory Experiments Are Not Always Good for Democracy

Previous research has devoted extensive attention to the ways in which participatory initiatives—whether “successful” or “failed”—can be good for democracy. Participation, it is argued, can generate social capital and educate citizens in democratic practices. However, much research on participation has selected on the dependent variable, looking at cases that have produced empowerment and claims on the state to understand outcomes. Using ethnographic and interview data collected with struggling organizations in Caracas, Venezuela, over the course of three years, I examine the long-term effects of these organizations on community relationships. I show that participatory experiments can increase mistrust and distrust between neighbors; divert claims away from state institutions and transfer frustration and blame onto the community; and delegitimize participatory politics for both participants and nonparticipants.