Democracy and Its Critics

Robert A. Dahl

Yale University Press, Oct 1, 2008 - Political Science - 397 pages

In this prize-winning book, one of the most prominent political theorists of our time makes a major statement about what democracy is and why it is important. Robert Dahl examines the most basic assumptions of democratic theory, tests them against the questions raised by its critics, and recasts the theory of democracy into a new and coherent whole. He concludes by discussing the directions in which democracy must move if advanced democratic states are to exist in the future.

“When Robert Dahl speaks about democracy, everyone should listen. With Democracy and Its Critics Dahl has produced a work destined to become another classic.”—Lucian W. Pye, American Political Science Review

“In this magisterial work [Dahl]… describe[s] what democracy means…; why our own democracy is still deeply flawed; and how we could reform it…. A work of extraordinary intelligence and, what is even rarer, a work of extraordinary wisdom.”—Robert N. Bellah, New York Times Book Review

Contents

• To the Democratic CityState: 13
• Republicanism: 24
• Anarchism: 37
• Guardianship: 52
• A Critique of Guardianship: 65
• The Idea of Equal Intrinsic Worth: 83
• Personal Autonomy: 97
• A Theory of the Democratic Process: 106
• The Problem of Inclusion: 119
• Majority Rule and the Democratic Process: 135
• Is There a Better Alternative?: 153
• Process and Substance: 163
• Process versus Process: 176
• When Is a People Entitled to the Democratic Process?: 193
• PART FIVE THE LIMITS AND POSSIBILITIES OF DEMOCRACY: 211
• Democracy Polyarchy and Participation: 225
• How Polyarchy Developed in Some Countries: 232
• Why Polyarchy Developed in Some Countries: 244
• Is Minority Domination Inevitable?: 265
• Pluralism Polyarchy and the Common Good: 280
• The Common Good as Process and Substance: 299
• Democracy in Tomorrows World: 311
• Sketches for an Advanced Democratic Country: 322

Popular passages

Page 17 - The freedom which we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life. There, far from exercising a jealous surveillance over each other, we do not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbor for doing what he likes, or even to indulge in those injurious looks which cannot fail to be offensive, although they inflict no positive penalty.

Page 17 - ... for doing what he likes or even to indulge in those injurious looks which cannot fail to be offensive, although they inflict no positive penalty. But all this ease in our private relations does not make us lawless as citizens.

Page 17 - If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences; if to social standing, advancement in public life falls to reputation for capacity, class considerations not being allowed to interfere with merit; nor again does poverty bar the way, if a man is able to serve the state, he is not hindered by the obscurity of his condition.

About the author

Robert A. Dahl, Sterling Professor of Political Science Emeritus at Yale Universtiy, is also the author of Who Governs?, After the Revolution?, Polyarchy, and Dilemmas of Pluralist Democracy, all available from Yale University Press.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Democracy and Its Critics
• Author: Robert A. Dahl
• Edition: unabridged
• Publisher: Yale University Press, 2008
• ISBN: 0300153554, 9780300153552
• Length: 397 pages
• Subjects: Political Science / General