Militant Democracy

Militant Democracy

Author: András Sajó

Publisher: Eleven International Publishing

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 271

ISBN-13: 9077596046

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book is a collection of contributions by leading scholars on theoretical and contemporary problems of militant democracy. The term 'militant democracy' was first coined in 1937. In a militant democracy preventive measures are aimed, at least in practice, at restricting people who would openly contest and challenge democratic institutions and fundamental preconditions of democracy like secularism - even though such persons act within the existing limits of, and rely on the rights offered by, democracy. In the shadow of the current wars on terrorism, which can also involve rights restrictions, the overlapping though distinct problem of militant democracy seems to be lost, notwithstanding its importance for emerging and established democracies. This volume will be of particular significance outside the German-speaking world, since the bulk of the relevant literature on militant democracy is in the German language. The book is of interest to academics in the field of law, political studies and constitutionalism.


Human Rights in a Time of Populism

Human Rights in a Time of Populism

Author: Gerald L. Neuman

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2020-04-09

Total Pages: 297

ISBN-13: 1108485499

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Leading experts examine the threats posed by populism to human rights and the international systems and explore how to confront them.


The Oxford Handbook of Social and Political Trust

The Oxford Handbook of Social and Political Trust

Author: Eric M. Uslaner

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2018-01-02

Total Pages: 753

ISBN-13: 0190274816

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This volume explores the foundations of trust, and whether social and political trust have common roots. Contributions by noted scholars examine how we measure trust, the cultural and social psychological roots of trust, the foundations of political trust, and how trust concerns the law, the economy, elections, international relations, corruption, and cooperation, among myriad societal factors. The rich assortment of essays on these themes addresses questions such as: How does national identity shape trust, and how does trust form in developing countries and in new democracies? Are minority groups less trusting than the dominant group in a society? Do immigrants adapt to the trust levels of their host countries? Does group interaction build trust? Does the welfare state promote trust and, in turn, does trust lead to greater well-being and to better health outcomes? The Oxford Handbook of Social and Political Trust considers these and other questions of critical importance for current scholarly investigations of trust.


The Oxford Handbook of Political Philosophy

The Oxford Handbook of Political Philosophy

Author: David Estlund

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2012-07-19

Total Pages: 457

ISBN-13: 0195376692

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This volume includes 22 new pieces by leading political philosophers, on traditional issues (such as authority and equality) and emerging issues (such as race, and money in politics). The pieces are clear and accessible will interest both students and scholars working in philosophy, political science, law, economics, and more.


Democracy Without Shortcuts

Democracy Without Shortcuts

Author: Cristina Lafont

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2020-01-12

Total Pages: 279

ISBN-13: 0198848188

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book articulates a participatory conception of deliberative democracy that takes the democratic ideal of self-government seriously. It aims to improve citizens' democratic control and vindicate the value of citizens' participation against conceptions that threaten to undermine it. The book critically analyzes deep pluralist, epistocratic, and lottocratic conceptions of democracy. Their defenders propose various institutional ''shortcuts'' to help solve problems of democratic governance such as overcoming disagreements, citizens' political ignorance, or poor-quality deliberation. However, all these shortcut proposals require citizens to blindly defer to actors over whose decisions they cannot exercise control. Implementing such proposals would therefore undermine democracy. Moreover, it seems naive to assume that a community can reach better outcomes 'faster' if it bypasses the beliefs and attitudes of its citizens. Unfortunately, there are no 'shortcuts' to make a community better than its members. The only road to better outcomes is the long, participatory road that is taken when citizens forge a collective will by changing one another's hearts and minds. However difficult the process of justifying political decisions to one another may be, skipping it cannot get us any closer to the democratic ideal. Starting from this conviction, the book defends a conception of democracy ''without shortcuts''. This conception sheds new light on long-standing debates about the proper scope of public reason, the role of religion in politics, and the democratic legitimacy of judicial review. It also proposes new ways to unleash the democratic potential of institutional innovations such as deliberative minipublics.


Tocqueville

Tocqueville

Author: Harvey Mansfield

Publisher: OUP USA

Published: 2010-06-24

Total Pages: 144

ISBN-13: 0195175395

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A study of the thought and works of Alexis de Tocqueville written by one of the premier political scientists of our time. Exploring his observations of contemporary democratic politics and his predictions for the triumph and pitfalls of democracy in the future, the volume features the new liberalism of Tocqueville's masterpiece, Democracy in America.


Political Constitutionalism

Political Constitutionalism

Author: Richard Bellamy

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2007-09-13

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13: 1139467913

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Judicial review by constitutional courts is often presented as a necessary supplement to democracy. This book questions its effectiveness and legitimacy. Drawing on the republican tradition, Richard Bellamy argues that the democratic mechanisms of open elections between competing parties and decision-making by majority rule offer superior and sufficient methods for upholding rights and the rule of law. The absence of popular accountability renders judicial review a form of arbitrary rule which lacks the incentive structure democracy provides to ensure rulers treat the ruled with equal concern and respect. Rights based judicial review undermines the constitutionality of democracy. Its counter-majoritarian bias promotes privileged against unprivileged minorities, while its legalism and focus on individual cases distort public debate. Rather than constraining democracy with written constitutions and greater judicial oversight, attention should be paid to improving democratic processes through such measures as reformed electoral systems and enhanced parliamentary scrutiny.