Democracy Without Borders?

Reviews / Votes

Plattner offers helpful insights into democracy....Clearly written, this book ties together various arguments about the future prospects of liberal democracy today. Recommended. * Choice Reviews * Democracy Without Borders? traces a fascinating trajectory of thinking about democratic institutions and their fate in the contemporary world. Marc Plattner is one of the wisest observers of modern democracy in America, and as editor of the Journal of Democracy he has been on top of the academic discourse on this subject. -- Francis Fukuyama, author of The End of History and the Last Man Democracy Without Borders? covers the spectrum from political philosophy to practical policy, and splendidly reveals the depth, breadth, and brilliance of Plattner's insight and analysis. Plattner's book is indispensable for anyone who cares about the fate of democracy in the present era. -- Robert Kagan, author of Of Paradise and Power Marc Plattner is one of the American authors who most strongly merit the attention of European readers. An eloquent defender of the sovereign state, he nonetheless avoids anti-European invective. He offers instead a searching analysis of European integration and its theoreticians, within the context of a most stimulating set of reflections on democracy and its role in world politics. -- Pierre Hassner, National Foundation of Political Science, Paris, author of La Terreur et l'Empire Plattner's book is an insightful reflection on liberalism, the democratic nation-state, and the European Union in relation to global democracy. * Claremont Review of Books * Cohesive and well-written * Book Review Digest * The most lucid and readable introduction imaginable to the debate over "the democracy project." -- John O'Sullivan * National Review * Plattner's compact volume assembles two decades' worth of essays into a cohesive and well-written investigation of the obstacles facing democracy promotion today and the conditions under which democracy can survive and thrive. * COMMENTARY * Plattner's analysis is measured and clearly articulated. Though not a polemicist-indeed, he goes out of his way to give all sides their due-Plattner does have strong opinions, which are reinforced by his ability to distinguish between facts and real trends on the one hand and superficial theorizing on the other....Plattner's reasoned and basically optimistic argument is particularly important at a moment of confusion about democracy's condition and schadenfreude over the failings of the Bush administration's efforts to bring freedom to the Middle East. * The Weekly Standard * Not content merely to comment on European and American politics, Plattner suffuses his approach to the contemporary scene with a depth and subtlety acquired from a long study of political philosophy and political history. . . . The book's outline is clear, the writing is crisp, and the logic and argumentation are elegant and therefore compelling. Laymen, scholars, and policy makers should find this work accessible, persuasive and immensely useful. * Society * This book is a lively, incisive tour of democracy's global fortunes, led by the ideal guide. Plattner infuses a rich presentation of key philosophical debates about contemporary democracy with bracing injections of real-life dilemmas and dangers. -- Thomas Carothers, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace