MARC Record from Library of Congress

LEADER: 02310nam a22003018a 4500
001 2010000028
003 DLC
005 20100112155735.0
008 100104s2010 enk b 001 0 eng
010 $a 2010000028
020 $a9780521761031
020 $a9780521140119 (pbk.)
040 $aDLC$cDLC
050 00 $aJC421$b.P795 2010
082 00 $a321.8$222
100 1 $aPrzeworski, Adam.
245 10 $aDemocracy and the limits of self-government /$cAdam Przeworski.
260 $aCambridge ;$aNew York :$bCambridge University Press,$c2010.
263 $a1006
300 $ap. cm.
490 0 $aCambridge studies in the theory of democracy ;$v9
520 $a"The book analyzes the sources of widespread dissatisfaction with democracies around the world and identifies directions for feasible reforms"--Provided by publisher.
520 $a"The political institutions under which we live today evolved from a revolutionary idea that shook the world in the second part of the eighteenth century: that a people should govern itself. Yet if we judge contemporary democracies by the ideals of self-government, equality, and liberty, we find that democracy is not what it was dreamt to be. This book addresses central issues in democratic theory by analyzing the sources of widespread dissatisfaction with democracies around the world. With attention throughout to historical and cross-national variations, the focus is on the generic limits of democracy in promoting equality, effective participation, control of governments by citizens, and liberty. The conclusion is that although some of this dissatisfaction has good reasons, some is based on an erroneous understanding of how democracy functions. Hence, although the analysis identifies the limits of democracy, it also points to directions for feasible reforms"--Provided by publisher.
504 $aIncludes bibliographical references and index.
505 8 $aMachine generated contents note: 1. Introduction; 2. Self-government of the people; 3. A brief history of representative institutions; 4. Equality; 5. Choice and participation; 6. Agency; 7. Liberty; 8. Democracy as an implementation of self-government in our times.
650 0 $aDemocracy$xHistory.
650 0 $aDemocracy$xPhilosophy.
650 0 $aRepresentative government and representation.