The Good Representative
Published on 4. December 2006
Book
Hardback
272 pages
978-1-4051-5578-6 (ISBN)
Description
In The Good Representative, Suzanne Dovi argues that democratic citizens should assess their representatives by their display of three virtues: they must be fair-minded, build critical trust, and be good gatekeepers.
This important book provides standards for evaluating the democratic credentials of representatives.
Identifies the problems with and obstacles to good democratic representation.
Argues that democratic representation, even good democratic representation, is not always desirable.
Timely and original, this book rejects the tendency to equate respect for the preferences of citizens with neutrality on the standards used in choosing their representatives.
This important book provides standards for evaluating the democratic credentials of representatives.
Identifies the problems with and obstacles to good democratic representation.
Argues that democratic representation, even good democratic representation, is not always desirable.
Timely and original, this book rejects the tendency to equate respect for the preferences of citizens with neutrality on the standards used in choosing their representatives.
Reviews / Votes
"This book provides an excellent 'yardstick' to aid in the application of democratic theory...addresses potential problems...and discusses the realities of selecting 'good enough' representatives." (Choice)More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Hoboken
United Kingdom
Publishing group
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
517 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4051-5578-6 (9781405155786)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Suzanne Dovi is an Assistant Professor of Political Science and Philosophy at the University of Arizona. Her research interests include democratic theory, representation (especially the representation of historically disadvantaged groups), feminist theory, and normative concepts such as hypocrisy, guilt, and despair. Her work has appeared in American Political Science Review, Constellations, Journal of Politics, and Polity.
Content
Preface viii Acknowledgments xi
1 Who is a Good Representative? 1
An Ethics of Democratic Representation 6
The Proper Scope of an Ethics of Democratic Representation 9
Three Assumptions 14
The Theoretical Contribution of The Good Representative 17
Deliberative democracy 18
Descriptive representation for historically disadvantaged groups 21
The Structure of The Good Representative 23
2 Moving beyond Descriptive Representation 27
Democratic Representation and Descriptive Representation 29
Two Problems with Descriptive Representation 34
Justifying the Silence about Criteria 36
The Need for Criteria 39
The Need for Democratic Standards 44
3 Democratic Advocacy and Good Democratic Representation 52
The Scope of Democratic Representation 53
Sources of Authority for Democratic Representatives 62
Holding Democratic Representatives Accountable 65
Existing Standards for Identifying Bad Representatives 68
The interests of the constituents 69
Autonomy 71
Professional norms 72
Why Democratic Standards? 75
The importance of standards 78
The Importance of Function 81
Identifying the function of democratic representatives 84
Political advocacy 85
Democratic advocacy 88
The Three Virtues 90
Democracy and Democratic Citizens' Preferences 92
4 The Virtue of Fair-Mindedness 100
Political Efficacy 101
Democratic Efficacy 104
Why Civic Equality? 105
The Meaning of Civic Equality 108
Using the First Virtue to Evaluate Representatives 114
Two Problems with the First Virtue 120
5 The Virtue of Critical Trust Building 124
Democratic Representation and Participation 127
Problems with Evaluating Representatives by Citizen Participation 130
The Virtue of Critical Trust Building 134
Promoting Critical Trust 139
Problems with the Second Virtue 141
6 The Virtue of Good Gatekeeping 145
Developing the Right Relationships 148
The Scope of Mutual Relations 155
The Virtue of Good Gatekeeping 161
Political opponents 162
The dispossessed 164
The marginalized 167
A Perspective of Exclusion 170
Problems with the Third Virtue 174
Conclusion 177
7 Preferable Democratic Representatives: Real-World Political Virtues 179
Preferability and the Virtues 182
Preferability and System-Dependency 183
Are Good Descriptive Representatives Good Democratic Representatives? 185
Choosing among the Virtues 190
Bad Democratic Representatives 196
Notes 201
References 228
Index 241
1 Who is a Good Representative? 1
An Ethics of Democratic Representation 6
The Proper Scope of an Ethics of Democratic Representation 9
Three Assumptions 14
The Theoretical Contribution of The Good Representative 17
Deliberative democracy 18
Descriptive representation for historically disadvantaged groups 21
The Structure of The Good Representative 23
2 Moving beyond Descriptive Representation 27
Democratic Representation and Descriptive Representation 29
Two Problems with Descriptive Representation 34
Justifying the Silence about Criteria 36
The Need for Criteria 39
The Need for Democratic Standards 44
3 Democratic Advocacy and Good Democratic Representation 52
The Scope of Democratic Representation 53
Sources of Authority for Democratic Representatives 62
Holding Democratic Representatives Accountable 65
Existing Standards for Identifying Bad Representatives 68
The interests of the constituents 69
Autonomy 71
Professional norms 72
Why Democratic Standards? 75
The importance of standards 78
The Importance of Function 81
Identifying the function of democratic representatives 84
Political advocacy 85
Democratic advocacy 88
The Three Virtues 90
Democracy and Democratic Citizens' Preferences 92
4 The Virtue of Fair-Mindedness 100
Political Efficacy 101
Democratic Efficacy 104
Why Civic Equality? 105
The Meaning of Civic Equality 108
Using the First Virtue to Evaluate Representatives 114
Two Problems with the First Virtue 120
5 The Virtue of Critical Trust Building 124
Democratic Representation and Participation 127
Problems with Evaluating Representatives by Citizen Participation 130
The Virtue of Critical Trust Building 134
Promoting Critical Trust 139
Problems with the Second Virtue 141
6 The Virtue of Good Gatekeeping 145
Developing the Right Relationships 148
The Scope of Mutual Relations 155
The Virtue of Good Gatekeeping 161
Political opponents 162
The dispossessed 164
The marginalized 167
A Perspective of Exclusion 170
Problems with the Third Virtue 174
Conclusion 177
7 Preferable Democratic Representatives: Real-World Political Virtues 179
Preferability and the Virtues 182
Preferability and System-Dependency 183
Are Good Descriptive Representatives Good Democratic Representatives? 185
Choosing among the Virtues 190
Bad Democratic Representatives 196
Notes 201
References 228
Index 241