Democracy
History, Theory, Practice
Sanford Lakoff(Author)
Westview Press Inc
1st Edition
Published on 15. August 1996
Book
Hardback
400 pages
978-0-8133-3227-7 (ISBN)
Description
This study examines the nascence of democracy in the classical world and evaluates backlashes against democracy that produced the authoritarian and totalitarian regimes of the 20th century. Unified by the theme of democracy as a quest for autonomy, it integrates theory and practice to reveal a democracy that is at once normative, institutional and procedural. It provides an in-depth description of the history of political thought, ranging from the Athenian democracies to Roman republicanism and the emergence of liberal democracies. Its analysis of modern democracy gives attention to electoral systems and federalism. Based on a survey of the process, progress and prospects of democratization around the world it concludes the democracy is still the best hope for humanity.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Inc
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
ISBN-13
978-0-8133-3227-7 (9780813332277)
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Schweitzer Classification
Content
Introduction : the new appeal of an old ideal; democracy as the quest for autonomy. Part 1 History: communal autonomy - Athenian democracy; plural autonomy - Roman and later republicanism; individual autonomy - liberal democracy; backlash - criticism and the rise of modern autocracy. Part 2 Theory: modern democracy - compound autonomy; the individual and the group - voting and elections; federalism - devolution and co-operation. Part 3 Practice: democratization - perils of the passage; autonomy against itself - pitfalls and pathologies; democracy and world peace - euphoria limited. Part 4 Conclusion - democracy and its prospects.