We identity two core problems in technology used in governance: simulation and extraction. We pose new values for guiding the use and design of technology for governance: empowerment to self-rule and the development of the capacities for self-rule. Drawing on a long tradition of participatory democratic theory, we offer a framework for evaluating the uses and designs of governance technologies. We then conclude with notes on how to apply these values to possible uses of AI in deliberative processes. We believe this framework will be of interest both to those interested primarily in ensuring good government, and to those more concerned with the intrinsic benefits of popular self-government.
