ػᶈᶏϾӗ’s Reviews > What's Wrong with Democracy?: From Athenian Practice to American Worship > Status Update

Here's some great logic for you: Personal choice shouldn't be our greatest political good, because for most of human history, a lot of people were subjects or slaves, and THEY couldn't have all been unhappy. Samons is a dick.

Well, I'm certainly finishing this under different conditions than when I began it. It is still really, really relevant.

*clears throat loudly*

Zizek, Butler, and Laclau were right about one thing - "democracy" is a floating signifier, hotly contested. In conjunction with Samons, I'm inclined not to trust anyone wielding the word ever again. (Kind of like people who refer to "the masses.")

How did Athens encourage the lower class to participate in government? By paying offices and juries from public funds. Costly, yes - and tantamount to bribery, if you ask me. "We'll pay you for your participation - now look, the government is based on the 'will of the masses,' and therefore legitimate!"

Looking at the actual characteristics of Athenian democracy, and their actual accomplishments during this period, it's clear to me that demo*cracy, or "rule of the people," is problematic. Who are the people? And how do they rule? It's never quite clear, though it does *become* clear that leaders have a definite interest in making it seem like they rule on the behalf of "the people."

Bus reading, at least 'til I get assigned any novels. Already a really though-provoking read - clearly an argument from a statist perspective, but nonetheless demonstrates gaping holes in the American political conscious.