--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Contemporary political theorists continue…" description: "\"Contemporary political theorists continue this type of thinking about democracy by arguing that the development of \"public judgment\" among regular citi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/kevin-mattson-63787_arguing_contemporary-political-theorists-continu_1809008.jpg" --- # Contemporary political theorists continue this type of… ![“Contemporary political theorists continue this type of thinking about democracy by arguing that the development of "public judgment" among regular citizens should be made the central concern of modern politics. Public judgment, in the words of Benjamin Barber, is a function of commonality that can…” quote by Kevin Mattson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/kevin-mattson-63787_arguing_contemporary-political-theorists-continu_1809008.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/kevin-mattson-63787_arguing_contemporary-political-theorists-continu_1809008.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/kevin-mattson-63787_arguing_contemporary-political-theorists-continu_1809008.jpg) > “Contemporary political theorists continue this type of thinking about democracy by arguing that the development of "public judgment" among regular citizens should be made the central concern of modern politics. Public judgment, in the words of Benjamin Barber, is a function of commonality that can be exercised only by citizens interacting with one another in the context of mutual deliberation and decision.” [Kevin Mattson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mattson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that modern politics should prioritize citizens’ collective deliberation to form public judgment. **In simple terms:** Collective deliberation should shape politics. Key Takeaway Foster public deliberation. Themes politics democracy citizen engagement Mood analytical inquisitive Type political philosophical When to use this quote - local councils - online forums - community meetings Key Concepts deliberative democracy public sphere Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure inclusive participation? - What barriers limit public judgment? A Different Perspective Achieving genuine deliberation is often hindered by inequality and apathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Barbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbers/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Commonality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commonality/) [Commonality Exercised](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commonality-exercised-2097964/) [Concern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concern/) [Contemporary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemporary/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Deliberation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deliberation/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-arguing-2097963/) [Development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/development/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [Interacting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interacting/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Modern politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-politics/) [Mutual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutual/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Public Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-judgment-2097961/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Theorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theorists/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-democracy-2097962/) [Type](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/type/) ## Related quotes > [It is part of our political thinking that democracy is a battle of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehbooba-mufti/it-is-part-of-our-political-thinking-that-democracy-is-a-battle-of/) [Mehbooba Mufti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehbooba-mufti/) > [Nobody who's thought about politics or democracy over the thousands of years that people have been thinking about democracy hasn't come up against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/nobody-who-s-thought-about-politics-or-democracy-over-the-thousands/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [It is so difficult to draw a clear line of separation between the abuse and the wholesome use of the press, that as yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/it-is-so-difficult-to-draw-a-clear-line-of-separation-between-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I know that my career is up for public judgment, but I also know that in football,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radamel-falcao/everyone-is-entitled-to-their-opinion-and-i-know-that-my-career-is-up/) [Radamel Falcao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radamel-falcao/) > [As inclination changes, thus ebbs and flows the unstable tide of public judgment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/as-inclination-changes-thus-ebbs-and-flows-the-unstable-tide-of/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [The argument of the broken window pane is the most valuable argument in modern politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmeline-pankhurst/the-argument-of-the-broken-window-pane-is-the-most-valuable-argument/) [Emmeline Pankhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmeline-pankhurst/) > [I'm afraid that's in the nature of modern politics - it's as much conducted by abuse as argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-m-afraid-that-s-in-the-nature-of-modern-politics-it-s-as-much/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [The problem with modern politics is everybody is doing sound bite stuff. In my stump speech, I give 20 minutes on why I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-brat/the-problem-with-modern-politics-is-everybody-is-doing-sound-bite/) [Dave Brat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-brat/) > [My difficulty with the whole right-left construct is that I don't think it describes modern politics or the modern choices that people face in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/my-difficulty-with-the-whole-right-left-construct-is-that-i-don-t/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [Modern systematic politics, whether liberal, conservative, radical, or socialist, simply has to be rejected from a standpoint that owes genuine allegiance to the tradition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alasdair-macintyre/modern-systematic-politics-whether-liberal-conservative-radical-or/) [Alasdair MacIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alasdair-macintyre/) > [In modern politics, even the leader of the free world needs help from the sultan of Facebookistan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/in-modern-politics-even-the-leader-of-the-free-world-needs-help-from/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [The man is the Piltdown Man of modern politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/the-man-is-the-piltdown-man-of-modern-politics/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) > [Modern politics is civil war carried on by other means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alasdair-macintyre/modern-politics-is-civil-war-carried-on-by-other-means/) [Alasdair MacIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alasdair-macintyre/) > [There is a schizophrenic nature in modern politics. A leader is expected to have a religious faith but he is not supposed to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mansfield/there-is-a-schizophrenic-nature-in-modern-politics-a-leader-is/) [Stephen Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mansfield/) > [One of the things that really has gone wrong in modern politics, one of the things that made Trump possible was that many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/one-of-the-things-that-really-has-gone-wrong-in-modern-politics-one/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) ## More by Kevin Mattson > [A democratic public forms when citizens gather together to deliberate and make public judgments about local and national issues that affect their lives. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mattson/a-democratic-public-forms-when-citizens-gather-together-to-deliberate/) [Kevin Mattson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mattson/) > [At the 1894 ALA conference it was fairly well agreed that the primary goal of the public library must be to teach good citizenship.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mattson/at-the-1894-ala-conference-it-was-fairly-well-agreed-that-the-primary/) [Kevin Mattson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mattson/) > [From these activists we can learn a crucial lesson: without citizens creating the institutions necessary for facilitating the growth of public deliberation, democracy will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mattson/from-these-activists-we-can-learn-a-crucial-lesson-without-citizens/) [Kevin Mattson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mattson/) > [I just can't imagine that it's only a coincidence. I think they feel that it's kind of getting out of their control, and they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mattson/i-just-can-t-imagine-that-it-s-only-a-coincidence-i-think-they-feel/) [Kevin Mattson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mattson/) [Explore all 5 Kevin Mattson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mattson/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) [Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Contemporary political theorists continue this type of thinking about democracy by arguing that the development of \"public judgment\" among regular citizens should be made the central concern of modern politics. 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