Deliberative assembly
A deliberative assembly is a meeting of members who use parliamentary procedure.
Etymology
In a speech to the electorate at Bristol in 1774, Edmund Burke described the British Parliament as a "deliberative assembly", and the expression became the basic term for a body of persons meeting to discuss and determine common action.[1][2] Merriam-Webster's definition excludes legislatures.[3]
Characteristics
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised by Henry Martyn Robert describes the following characteristics of a deliberative assembly:[4]
- A group of people meets to discuss and make decisions on behalf of the entire membership.
- They meet in a single room or area, or under equivalent conditions of simultaneous oral communication.
- Each member is free to act according to their judgement.
- Each member has an equal vote.
- The members at the meeting act for the entire group, even if there are members absent.
- A member's dissent on a particular issue constitutes neither a withdrawal from the group, nor a termination of membership.
Types
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised identifies several types of deliberative assemblies.
Mass meeting
A mass meeting, which is an unorganized group meeting open to all individuals in a sector of the population who are interested in deliberating about a subject proposed by the meeting's sponsors. Examples include meetings to discuss common political concerns or community interests, or meetings to form a new society.[5]
Local assembly of an organized society
A local assembly of an organized society, which is a membership meeting of a local chapter or branch of a membership organization.[6] Examples include local chapter meetings of organizations like the Sierra Club.
Convention
A convention, which is a meeting of delegates who represent constituent units of a population. Conventions are not permanently established bodies, and delegates are normally elected for only one term. A convention may be held by an organized society, where each local assembly is represented by a delegate.[7]
Legislative body
A legislative body, which is a legally established public lawmaking body. It consists of representatives chosen by the electorate. Examples include national legislatures such as
Board
A board, which is an administrative, managerial, or quasi-judicial body. A board derives its power from an outside authority that defines the scope of its operations. Examples include an organized society's or company's board of directors and government agency boards like a board of education.[9]
Rights of members
A member of a deliberative assembly has the right to attend meetings and make and second
See also
- Deliberation
- Deliberative democracy
- Direct democracy
- Meeting (parliamentary procedure)
- Voting methods in deliberative assemblies
- Legislative assembly
- Committee
References
Citations
- ^ Burke 1854, p. 447
- ^ Robert 2011, p. xxix
- ^ "Definition of DELIBERATIVE ASSEMBLY". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
- ^ Robert 2011, pp. 1–2
- ^ Robert 2011, pp. 5–6
- ^ Robert 2011, pp. 6–7
- ^ Robert 2011, pp. 7–8
- ^ Robert 2011, p. 8
- ^ Robert 2011, pp. 8–9
- ^ a b Robert 2011, p. 3
- ^ Robert 2011, pp. 571–572
- ^ a b "Frequently Asked Questions about RONR (Question 2)". The Official Robert's Rules of Order Web Site. The Robert's Rules Association. Archived from the original on 2018-12-24. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
Sources
- Burke, Edmund (1854). The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Volume 1. London, England: Henry G. Bohn.
- Robert, Henry M.; et al. (2011). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-82020-5. Archived from the originalon 2017-08-13. Retrieved 2016-01-05.
