This paper addresses problems in the theory and practice of democracy. In the twentieth century new economic and sociological theories of rationality came to dominate social science. These theories undermined old ideals of representative democracy. For a while, the bureaucratic paradigm seemed to offer a solution. But by the 1980s bureaucracy was derided as inefficient and unresponsive. How should we address the resulting problems of democratic governance? Policy actors have responded by clinging to the old ideal of representative democracy buttressed by forms of expertise based on the new theories of rationality. A new governance of markets and networks thus has spread across the world. So, representative governments still struggle to direct the policy process while an illusory expertise crowds out democratic participation. Contemporary democracy suffers from both blurred lines of accountability and declining legitimacy. The paper concludes by suggesting that democratic renewal may depend on more interpretive styles of expertise, dialogic forms of policy making, and diverse avenues for public participation
