Democratic Theory and Practice

Together the essays will provide comprehensive review of the past condition and future prospects for democratic theory in practice.

Duncan (Author)

9780521285261, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 28 April 1983

308 pages
22.8 x 15.2 x 1.8 cm, 0.5 kg

In past decades, democratic theory has been on the defensive, largely as a result of the disappointments of democratic practice. The essays in this volume reflect critically on the theory in the light of those failures and with the corresponding assumption of an indissoluble connection between theory and practice. If theory maintains a monastic impeccability, untouched by the world, it will be sterile and fit merely for arid disputes. Nor can practice stand alone: it varies and changes and is subject to different interpretations. Success will come to it partly through the impact of empirical and prescriptive analysis. The volume is organised in sections, dealing in turn with the changing meanings and evaluations of democracy with classical theories with the revisions and critiques of these theories deriving from existing circumstances and with attempts to extend and to consolidate more adequate and secure theories of democracy. Among the thinkers considered are Mill, de Tocqueville, Marx and Marcuse, while the topics include bureaucracy, feminism, corporatism and social democracy. Together the essays will provide comprehensive review of the past condition and future prospects for democratic theory in practice.

List of contributors
Part I. Backgrounds to the Arguments: 1. Introduction Graeme Duncan
2. The limits of democratic theory Paul E. Corcoran
3. The historical study of 'democracy' Iain Hampshermonk
Part II. Classical Theories: 4. Mill and Rousseau: utility and rights Alan Ryan
5. 'Classical' images of democracy in America: Madison and Tocqueville Richard W. Krouse
6. Marxism and democratic theory Michael Levin
7. Consensus and community: the theory of African one-party democracy Paul Nursery-Bray
Part III. Revisions and Critiques: 8. Democracy: American style Michael Margolis
9. The competitive model of democracy David Miller
10. Marcuse and autonomy Vincent Geoghegan
11. Functional representation and democratic politics: towards a corporatist democracy Alan Cawson
Part IV. Possible Futures: 12. Human nature and radical democratic theory Graeme Duncan
13. Feminism and democracy Carole Pateman
14. Returning the social to democracy David Harris
15. Bureaucracy and democracy Dennis F. Thompson
16. Beginning at the end of democratic theory Henry S. Kariel
Notes
Index.

Subject Areas: Political ideologies [JPF], Political science & theory [JPA]