Democracy and Its Critics

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 direction in which democracy must move if advanced democratic states are to exist in the future.

Part 1 The sources of modern democracy: the first transformation - to the democratic city-state; toward the second transformation - republicanism, representation, and the logic of equality. Part 2 Adversarial critics: anarchism; guardianship; a critique of guardianship. Part 3 A theory of the democratic process: justifications - the idea of equal intrinsic worth; personal autonomy; a theory of the democratic process; the problem of inclusion. Part 4 Problems in the democratic process: majority rule and the democratic process; majority rule - practise; process and substance; process versus process; when is a people entitled to the democratic process? Part 5 The limits and possibilities of democracy: the second democratic transformation - from the city-state to the nation-state; democracy, polyarchy, and participation; how polyarchy developed in some countries and not others; is minority domination inevitable?; pluralism, polyarchy and the common good; common good as process and substance. Part 6 Toward a third transformation: democracy in tomorrow's world; sketches for an advanced democratic country.