Democracy 3rd edn

Book Details

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Author: Anthony Arblaster

• Language: English

• Cover: Hardcover

• ISBN: 9788131610589

• Pages: 127

About the Book

In Democracy, Anthony Arblaster takes an insightful journey through the history and theory of democracy, examining both its origins and the challenges it has faced throughout time. Arblaster traces the evolution of democracy, noting that for much of history, democracy was understood as direct democracy—where the people governed themselves directly through participation in decision-making and policy formulation. The representative democracy we are familiar with today was, by contrast, a relatively recent development.

The core idea of democracy, according to Arblaster, is rooted in the notion of popular power. In the second part of the book, he delves into the meaning of popular power, exploring the complexities and challenges associated with it. Drawing from the classical writings of Rousseau, Paine, and John Stuart Mill, Arblaster highlights the gap between their ideal visions of a fully democratic society and the often-limited realities of modern Western democracies.

Arblaster asserts that democracy remains a powerful and relevant ideal, challenging conventional political thinking. This book, first praised for its accessibility and clarity, has been updated in its revised and expanded second edition to address significant political shifts, particularly the collapse of European communism. The book is ideal for both students and general readers interested in understanding the complexities of democracy, its history, and its future potential.