Mass participation in the state affaires is the foundation of democracy as it ensures inclusion of the poor and their concerns. Participation is primarily seen in terms of empowerment of the disadvantaged, since powerlessness is considered as the main reason for their exclusion from development benefits. For successful working of democracy in a country, mass people have to be given equal opportunity to participate in national as well as local decision-making process.
Only by participating in formal political and administrative process, the poor people can influence broad policy directives, budget priorities and the specifications of program design. Participation reinforces accountability because it provides the means by which citizens may exercise influence and control over decisions and actions of their governors.[1] It thus stresses the option of citizens to hold public officials responsible if they transgress their rights or fail to discharge their duties. Participation usually goes hand in hand with some sort of decentralization especially when there is a unity interest of the local elite and the poor or other broad segment of the local community.
[1] Ahrens, Joachim , Governance and Economic Development, New Work, 2002, p.134
[1] Ahrens, Joachim , Governance and Economic Development, New Work, 2002, p.134