MORE IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER: A CRITICAL REVISIT OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND DEMOCRATIC SUSTAINABILITY IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Abstract

Mainstream democratic theory posits that high levels of citizen political participation are essential for democratic sustainability. However, the digital age has exposed a profound empirical paradox: while digital technologies have expanded participation channels to unprecedented levels, global democratic quality is steadily declining. Utilizing documentary research, this article critically reviews existing literature and constructs a novel explanatory framework by analyzing socio-political dynamics across three distinct digital eras (1994-present). The findings reveal that the correlation between political participation and democratic sustainability is not a linear positive relationship, but a complex dynamic governed by four conditional relationships. Specifically: 1) the quality of participation supersedes sheer quantity; 2) the underlying regime type moderates outcomes; 3) varying forms of participation yield distinct institutional impacts; and 4) the information ecosystem, threatened by disinformation, acts as a crucial intervening variable. These findings refute the traditional volume-centric paradigm, demonstrating that manipulated participation can actively undermine democratic institutions. The article advocates a theoretical shift toward measuring the "quality of participation" and recommends policy interventions focused on media literacy and information-ecosystem regulation, rather than merely maximizing participation metrics.

Keywords: Political Participation, Democratic Sustainability, Digital Age, Conditional Relationship, Participation Paradox