The Kantian Publicity Principle and the Transparency Presumption in Public Affairs

When Private Citizens’ Participation Becomes Public Knowledge

Bibliographic Data

ID6112644
AuthorsJames Clinger (Murray State University), James C Clinger (0000-0002-5840-9015, Murray State University, corresponding author)
Year2017
Volume19
Issue4
Pages394-403
Publication date2017-07-31
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePublic Integrity (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1558-0989 • E-ISSN: 1099-9922
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10999922.2016.1233378
OpenAlexW2543498417
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited17

This article applies Immanuel Kant’s “publicity principle” to several issues that involve citizen participation in public affairs, including open records laws, campaign finance disclosure, and the confidentiality of private organization membership and donor lists. The Kantian principle is premised on the belief that informed people will rise up in opposition to actions incompatible with “the transcendental concept of public right.” However, in many controversies, publicity may serve to threaten—rather than protect—segments of the citizenry who support causes that are not popular with other portions of the populace. The article concludes that the publicity principle applies reasonably well to actions of public officials, but is a less useful guide when applied to the participatory acts of private individuals

Citizen journalism · Law and economics · Political science · Politics · Presumption · Public relations · Publicity · Sociology · Law · Law in Society and Culture · Public Policy and Administration Research

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