A new path in the search for ideal democracy: Habermas's model of deliberative democracy

The search for a good and just political order has persisted as one of the fundamental problematics of political philosophy and social thought. In the course of historical development, democracy has acquired a privileged position both as a form of government and as a normative ideal; in particular, liberal and deliberative models of democracy have come to the fore with the claim of grounding the legitimacy of the modern political order. This study addresses the structural legitimacy crisis confronting contemporary democracy as a subject of philosophical inquiry within the framework of Jürgen Habermas's theory of deliberative democracy. In this respect, the study first brings into discussion why democracy has been preferred among all forms of government, examining its distinguishing features and underlying justifications. It then examines the historical development of the concept of democracy and the major theories of democracy, followed by a discussion of the foundations and contemporary crises of liberal democracy. Subsequently, the theoretical foundations, normative assumptions, and model of political participation proposed by Habermas's theory of deliberative democracy are examined in detail within the context of ethics and the philosophy of language, together with the key influences that contributed to the emergence of this theory, such as the Frankfurt School, the Enlightenment, and the thinkers who influenced Habermas. In the final part of the study, the practical applicability of deliberative democracy is evaluated in relation to local participation practices and the opportunities offered by digital public spheres, and proposals aimed at addressing the deficiencies of the theory are also discussed. The central argument of the study is that the deliberative democracy approach possesses a significant theoretical potential for the reconstruction of democratic legitimacy. However, this potential gains meaning not merely as an abstract and context-independent normative ideal, but through continuous critical evaluation and adaptations sensitive to historical and social conditions. In this respect, the thesis aims to make a normative and critical contribution to contemporary democratic theory. Keywords: Democracy, Legitimacy Crisis, Deliberative Democracy, Theory of Communicative Action, Public Sphere.