Democracy Rules
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- USD 10.99
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- USD 10.99
Descripción editorial
'Lively. . . This is one of those rare books about a pressing subject that reads less like a forced march than an inviting stroll . . . A book that encourages thinking, observation and discernment' New York Times
One of our most essential political thinkers offers a vital account of democracy in the twenty-first century
Everyone knows that democracy is in trouble, but do we know what democracy actually is? Political philosopher Jan-Werner Müller, author of the widely acclaimed What Is Populism?, takes us back to basics.
In this short, elegant volume, he explains how democracy is founded on three vital principles: liberty, equality, and also uncertainty. The latter, he argues, is crucial for ensuring democracy's dynamic and creative character. Authoritarians, as well as Big Tech, seek to render politics (and individual citizens) predictable; democracy holds open the possibility that new ideas, movements and identities can be created.
Acknowledging fully the dangers posed by populism, by kleptocratic autocracies like Russia's and by the digital authoritarianism of Xi, Müller also challenges the assumptions made by many liberals defending democracy in recent years. He shows how the secession of plutocratic elites in the West has undermined much of democracy's promise. In response, we need to re-invigorate our institutions, especially political parties and professional media, but also make it easier for citizens to mobilize.
Taking on many of the most difficult political questions we face, this book is a vital rethinking of what democracy is, and how we can reinvent our social contract.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The present-day travails of democracy spark a review of its first principles in this muddled meditation. Princeton political scientist Müller (What Is Populism?) probes the standoff between democracy as a creed of freedom and equality and the right-wing populism exemplified by Donald Trump's presidency, the Brexit vote, and the rise of authoritarian regimes in Eastern Europe, which seeks to narrowly define who the "real people" are and exclude everyone else. Müller views the struggle through a wide-ranging survey of political theory and practice, including the participatory democracy of ancient Athens, where decision-makers were chosen by lot; the role of political parties and the press in shaping and empowering political constituencies; and the importance of a "loyal opposition" that accepts the validity of elections even when it loses. Müller's hang-dog take on democracy ("Those bent on subverting it are at least as busy perfecting a populist-authoritarian art of governance as defenders of democracy are racing to issue crisis manuals") isn't very directional: he's contemptuous of Trumpism, but also leery of "Trump derangement syndrome," and possibly open to a "militant democracy" that suppresses potentially anti-democratic tendencies. This ruminative sketch asks plenty of pressing questions, but offers few clear answers. Photos.