Democracy

by Anthony Arblaster

Anthony Arblaster examines the history of both the theory and practice of democracy and the fierce opposition it so often provoked. He finds that through most of history democracy meant what we now call "direct" democracy - the people governing themselves directly through participation in the processes of decision-taking and policy-making. The representative type of democracy we are now familiar with was a relatively late arrival on the scene. Arblaster finds the core of the idea of democracy in the notion of popular power and, in the second part of the book, he explores the meaning of this and the problem it involves. Drawing on the classical writings of Rousseau, Paine and John Stuart Mill, he shows how wide the gap is between their idea of a fully democratic society and the limited realities of the Western democracies of today. Democracy, he argues, remains a relevant ideal and a challenge to conventional political thinking. This edition has been updated to take particular account of the collapse of European communism.

Genres: Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1988

Reviews

[Amirsaman · Rating 2 out of 5]

سوالای اساسی دموکراسی رو که همه بلدیم و نیازی هم نبود نویسنده تکرارشون کنه؛ این‌که از یونان بحث سر این بود که آیا واقعا قدرت و سیاست‌ورزی رو باید داد دست توده‌ی احمق و این صحبتا. اما نویسنده به بیشتر این سوالات پاسخی نمی‌ده. با تکثرِ یک جامعه‌ی دموکراتیک چه کنیم؟ «حالا با هم بسازیم و قانع کنیم و رسانه داشته باشیم و اگر هم نشد، من دیگه نمی‌دونم.» یه نتیجه‌ی سرراستِ کتاب (که نویسنده معترفه ایده‌ش کپی‌پیست هست) هم این بود که حالا گیریم دموکراسی و حق رای رو بدست آوردیم، اما برابری اقتصادی و اجتماعی هم لزوما باید همراهش باشه، وگرنه چرا ما برای این‌که حرفمون رو بزنیم باید بشینیم طومار و امضا جمع کنیم ولی فلان شرکت یه چشم و ابرو نشون بده کافیه. و این‌که نهادهای کمی رو اونا (تو غرب) تونستن دموکراتیزه کنند، و دموکراسی در محل کار و خیلی جاهای غول که از نظارت و رای مستقیم یا غیرمستقیم به دوره، وجود نداره و باید حواسمون باشه و خیلی زود کلاهِ پیروزی دموکراسی رو به هوا نندازیم.

[Sofia · Rating 1 out of 5]

pensum bok, men lest hele så regnes som lest?

[Nicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad I actually picked this book to write my essay on. It's got a clear and easy to read style, for a start, which sticks in the mind better than the more confusing pontificating some philosophers do. Arblaster also raises some important points about to the extent to which Britain is democratic -- to be honest, I have to feel after reading the book and thinking about it, that Britain is hardly democratic at all. Very, very interesting to think about.

[Simen Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gøy, god, nyttig.
Lettlest intro til demokratiteori og politisk idéhistorie.

[Ginny]

Found this book on one of Andy's bookshelves and fits in with teaching the American Revolution.