Democratic discourse

Democratic discourse is a "civilized debate among convictions, in which one party can recognize the other parties as co-combatants in the search for authentic truths without sacrificing its own claims to validity." (Taylor, 133) Democratic discourse is essential to a well-functioning democracy in which citizens are able to express diverse opinions in the form of "reasonable disagreement". Reciprocity is also necessary as it allows for a multi-dimensional flow of ideas and discussion which may affect all parties.