Future-Proofing Democratic Institutions

While there are numerous critiques of the failings of democratic systems to deal with long-term issues, proposals for reform are less pronounced. This paper aims to map and review the range of institutional reforms that have been both entrenched and proposed (the latter being the larger category) to promote long-term thinking within democratic systems. The structure, functioning (whether actual or imagined) and rationale behind such designs provide evidence of how proponents understand the limitations of democratic systems and opportunities for institutional redesign. Tentative suggestions are offered as to how a more systemic approach to designing democratic institutions for the long-term can be progressed.