Can the deliberation qualify policies for rural areas? an analysis of the participation of rural subjects in the agricultural mechanization of public policy in Viçosa-MG

Abstract

This article aims to investigate the use of deliberative democratic mechanisms with public policies marked by the participation of rural subjects. As investigative empirical horizon was taken Agricultural Mechanization of Public Policy implemented and evaluated in Viçosa-MG, from deliberative processes engendered in Municipal Council for Sustainable Rural Development. Thus, it wonders whether the public deliberation can qualify public policy for rural areas from formal processes of political participation, marked by the public and systematic dialogue between rural individuals and institutions. The theoretical framework consists of approaches about deliberative democracy notions and evaluation of formal decision-making processes. The main approach was inspired by the theory of Archon Fung (2006) that indicates three major criteria to evaluate participation: participant selection; communication and decision; authority and power. As regards the methods, were interviews and non-participant observation in the arena of CMDRS, Viçosa-MG. The main results show that there are embryonic deliberative processes triggered by rural subjects in the implementation and evaluation of public policy highlighted as there are concrete consideration by the executive by speeches and complaints from them. However, there is not the public development of preferences, not leading to debate and creating agendas together, or expansion of public controversy in CMDRS arena with regard to the experiences of rural subjects.