Online versus offline participation: Has the democratic potential of the internet been realized? Analysis of a participatory budgeting system in Korea

Few studies have empirically examined the effectiveness of online and offline systems in involving citizens in policymaking. The present study asks whether the online and offline modes of participation vary in their impacts on policy decision-making. To answer this question, we analyze and assess the effectiveness of the two types of participation channels by tracking individual citizens opinions proposed through the participatory budgeting system of the Bukgu (Northern) District Office in Gwangju Metropolitan City in Korea. The results show that offline participation channels are more effective than online channels because of their high levels of representativeness and deliberativeness. There is also variation between offline channels. When citizens engage in deliberative participation processes, their opinions are more likely to be reflected in budget or policy decision-making. In this sense, our study represents an initial step toward revealing the workings behind residents participation and any resulting substantive outcomes to help local governments design effective participation channels.