Universal Design, democracy and opposites.: Design and autonomy; democracy and autonomy.

In this essay I would like to use the framework of Universal Design (UD) to consider the way in which design has attempted to get to grips with democracy. Since design sprawls in various directions, I would like to focus on that part with which I am most familiar, industrial design. I also consider how the inclusion of stakeholders, of negotiation and compromise contrasts with decision-making left in the hands of the few, both in design and in governance.