Distributed Democracy

This book offers a thorough analysis of health care governance in Ontario, specifically examining democratic accountability and decision-making processes in Distributed Democracy.

This book represents the first comprehensive examination of Ontario’s Local Health Integration Networks. It delves into the governance of health care in Ontario, which has historically allowed citizens and stakeholders to engage in discussions and influence policy and investment decisions. However, there remains a gap in understanding the true democratic nature of this system, raising questions about how effective these opportunities for influence actually are.

Distributed Democracy introduces a novel analytical framework designed to explore the dynamics of democracy and accountability in complex policy-making environments. By applying this framework to the governance of health care in Ontario from 2004 to 2019, the author, Carey Doberstein, reveals that many criticisms of the province's health care governance are misguided. In fact, the local governance system often suffers from disconnections among various levels of deliberation and decision-making.

This incisive analysis is not only relevant for policy-makers but also holds significance across various academic fields. Distributed Democracy contributes meaningfully to our comprehension of how policy development and decision-making occur, while also highlighting the limitations and potential of distributed democratic accountability. Through its rigorous examination, the book encourages a reevaluation of how democratic processes are understood and implemented in health care governance.