The Principles of Representative Government

Bernard Manin

Cambridge University Press, Feb 28, 1997 - Political Science - 243 pages

The thesis of this original and provocative book is that representative government should be understood as a combination of democratic and undemocratic elements. Challenging the conventionally held views on the subject, Professor Manin reminds us that while today representative institutions and democracy appear as virtually indistinguishable, when representative government was first established in Europe and America, it was designed in opposition to democracy proper. The author identifies the essential features of democratic institutions and reviews the history of their application.

Contents

• Direct democracy and representation selection of officials in Athens: 8
• The triumph of election: 42
• the lessons of history: 44
• The political theory of election and lot in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries: 67
• consenting to power rather than holding office: 79
• The principle of distinction: 94
• England: 95
• France: 98
• The United States: 102
• A democratic aristocracy: 132
• a pure theory: 134
• the benefits of ambiguity: 149
• Election and the principles of modern natural right: 156
• The verdict of the people: 161
• Partial independence of representatives: 163
• Freedom of public opinion: 167
• The repeated character of elections: 175
• Trial by discussion: 183
• Metamorphoses of representative government: 193
• Parliamentarianism: 202
• Party democracy: 206
• Audience democracy: 218
• Conclusion: 236
• Index: 239

About the author

Manin is Professor in the Department of Politics, New York University, and Directeur des Recherches at the Centre National des Recherches Scientifiques, Paris.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Principles of Representative Government; Themes in the Social Sciences
• Author: Bernard Manin
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1997
• ISBN: 0521458919, 9780521458917
• Length: 243 pages
• Subjects: Political Science / History & Theory; Political Science / Political Process / Elections; Political Science / Political Process / Leadership