# Democratic Expectations **Domain:** Political Science, Democratic Theory **Doc Type:** Concept Node **Classification:** Infrastructure Concept **Maturity:** Foundational **Related:** [[Democratic Process]], [[Democratic Deliberation]], [[Constitutional Governance]] --- ## Definition The **set of shared understandings in a democratic polity about what processes should be followed, what actors should be consulted, and what outcomes should result from collective decision-making**. Expectations create legitimacy for some governance arrangements while delegitimizing others. --- ## General Context Democratic expectations vary across cultures and historical periods. Contemporary democratic expectations typically include regular elections, freedom of speech, consultation before major policy changes, and transparency in decision-making. --- ## Governance Context Climate governance often violates democratic expectations by excluding deliberation, using executive authority to bypass democratic process, and implementing policies through market mechanisms rather than democratic choice. --- ## Key Insight Unmet democratic expectations create legitimacy crises. Governance that violates shared expectations faces resistance even if technically competent. Conversely, governance that successfully manages expectations can implement unpopular policies. --- ## See Also [[Governance]], [[Democratic Succession]]