
Commonwealth
The Other Road to Democracy--The Swiss Model of Democratic Self-Government
Daniel J. Elazar(Editor)
Lexington Books (Publisher)
Published on 27. March 2001
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-0-7391-0236-7 (ISBN)
Description
The late Daniel J. Elazar was increasingly concerned with the distortions of democracy in contemporary society. In Commonwealth, he brought together a distinguished group of political scientists to examine the Swiss model of democracy, in its original emphasis on community, or the "commonwealth." Contributors to the volume take the Swiss model as a base from which to critique the liberal model, best exemplified by the United States. While it is admittedly the best contemporary example of liberal democracy, or "civil society," America also displays the problems of this model. The modern idea of communal democracy has almost completely disappeared from the United States, contributors argue. In incisive and cogent essays, they suggest that the modern idea of communal democracy may not just be an alternative but a needed antidote to many of the problems with the American system. The scholars gathered in this important collection explore the question of how to maintain both community and liberty while at the same time adjusting to changes in the scale of political organization needed for economic prosperity and defense. The results yield a unique perspective on contemporary democracy for political theorists and concerned lay readers alike.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 153 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
503 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7391-0236-7 (9780739102367)
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Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Daniel J. Elazar was Director of the Center for the Study of Federalism at Temple University. He is the author of American Federalism: A View from the States (1984), Exploring Federalism (1986), and The American Constitutional Tradition (1988).
Content
Chapter 1 Civil Society and Commonwealth: Two Models of Democratic Republicanism Part 2 The Swiss Commonwealth Chapter 3 Communal Democracy and Liberal Democracy: An Outside Friend's Look at the Swiss Political Tradition Chapter 4 The Covenantal Basis for the Development of Swiss Political Federalism: 1291-1848 Chapter 5 Consociational Democracy and Corporatism in Switzerland Chapter 6 The Communal Basis of Swiss Liberty Chapter 7 The Banner of Upright Swiss Liberty Part 8 Governing the Commonwealth Chapter 9 The Swiss Communal Ethic Chapter 10 Democracy by Competition: Referenda and Federalism in Switzerland Chapter 11 The Role of Semi-Direct Democracy in Shaping Swiss Federalism: The Behavior of Cantons Regarding Revision of the Constitution, 1866-1981 Chapter 12 Constitutional Change in Swiss Cantons: An Assessment of a Recent Phenomenon Chapter 13 Administering Government in Canton St. Gallen Chapter 14 Switzerland as a Model in the Commonwealth Tradition