THE CRISIS OF DEMOCRACY. A TECHNOCRATIC ALTERNATIVE

This article critically examines the contradiction between democratic legitimacy, grounded in the electoral basis of power, and administrative efficiency which demands professional expertise. The author undertakes a conceptual reconstruction of the canonical doctrine of democracy, distinguishing its normative and simulative aspects, and contrasts it with the actual practice of democratic arrangements as polyarchies of activist groups. It is argued that under conditions of increasing complexity of social organization and bureaucratization of the state apparatus, representative democracy transforms into an instrument of ritualized confirmation of loyalty, failing to ensure genuine popular control. Hybrid models that combine elements of deliberative democracy, participatory budgeting, and technocratic decision-making are considered as alternatives. The article proposes heuristic scenarios for the renewal of democratic institutions that could achieve a balance between participation, competence, and legitimacy.