Freedom Is Power

Reviews / Votes

'Hamilton offers penetrating and novel insights into the complex character of human freedom in the contemporary world.' Anthony Butler, University of Cape Town 'Lawrence Hamilton's Freedom is Power is an impressive contribution to contemporary democratic theory. The book is both an analytically sophisticated, systematic effort in 'applied' political theory, and also a first-rate intervention into the history of political thought. It rigorously engages contemporary authors like Pettit, Foucault and others, but just as penetratingly delves into the work of Montesquieu, Rousseau, Constant, and especially, Machiavelli.' John P. McCormick, University of Chicago 'The book is intellectually stimulating, and its arguments are lucid and persuasively convincing. The author deploys historical analysis of relevant literature systematically to evolve a theory of political representation through empirical observation of the socio-economic and political realities of South Africa.' John Olushola Magbedelo, African Studies Quarterly 'In the context of 'complex modern polities and economies' - which is Hamilton's relentless and entirely appropriate focus - these 'institutional arrangements' ineluctably include arrangements for political representation. The underdiscussed importance of this, for Hamilton, derives from the fact that freedom involves the 'means and ability to determine who governs my political association or community - that is, the power to determine who represents me politically'.' Andrew Dobson, European Political Science