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.

Acknowledgments

vii

Introduction

1

(12)

PART ONE THE SOURCES OF MODERN DEMOCRACY

The First Transformation: To the Democratic City-State

13

(11)

Toward the Second Transformation: Republicanism, Representation, and the Logic of Equality

24

(13)

PART TWO ADVERSARIAL CRITICS

Anarchism

37

(15)

Guardianship

52

(13)

A Critique of Guardianship

65

(18)

PART THREE A THEORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS

Justifications: The Idea of Equal Intrinsic Worth

83

(14)

Personal Autonomy

97

(9)

A Theory of the Democratic Process

106

(13)

The Problem of Inclusion

119

(16)

PART FOUR PROBLEMS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS

Majority Rule and the Democratic Process

135

(18)

Is There a Better Alternative?

153

(10)

Process and Substance

163

(13)

Process versus Process

176

(17)

When Is a People Entitled to the Democratic Process?

193

(20)

PART FIVE THE LIMITS AND POSSIBILITIES OF DEMOCRACY

The Second Democratic Transformation: From the City-State to the Nation-State

213

(12)

Democracy, Polyarchy, and Participation

225

(7)

How Polyarchy Developed in Some Countries and Not Others

232

(12)

Why Polyarchy Developed in Some Countries and Not Others

244

(21)

Is Minority Domination Inevitable?

265

(15)

Pluralism, Polyarchy, and the Common Good

280

(19)

The Common Good as Process and Substance

299

(12)

PART SIX TOWARD A THIRD TRANSFORMATION

Democracy in Tomorrow's World

311

(11)

Sketches for an Advanced Democratic Country

322

(21)

Notes

343

(30)

Appendix

373

(2)

Bibliography

375

(10)

Index

385

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Democracy and Its Critics

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials