Principles of Representative Government

Klappentext The thesis of this original and provocative book is that representative government should be understood as a combination of democratic and undemocratic, aristocratic elements. Professor Manin challenges the conventional view that representative democracy is no more than an indirect form of government by the people, in which citizens elect representatives only because they cannot assemble and govern in person. The argument is developed by examining the historical moments when the present institutional arrangements were chosen from among the then available alternatives. Professor Manin reminds us that while today representative institutions and democracy appear as virtually indistinguishable, when representative government was first established in Europe and America, it was designed in opposition to democracy proper. Drawing on the procedures used in earlier republican systems, from classical Athens to Renaissance Florence, in order to highlight the alternatives that were forsaken, Manin brings to the fore the generally overlooked results of representative mechanisms. These include the elitist aspect of elections and the non-binding character of campaign promises. Zusammenfassung The thesis of this original and provocative book is that representative government should be understood as a combination of democratic and undemocratic (indeed! aristocratic) elements. Challenging the conventionally held views on the subject! Professor Manin reminds us that representative government originally was designed in opposition to democracy proper. Inhaltsverzeichnis Introduction; 1. Direct democracy and representation: selection of officials in Athens; 2. The triumph of election; 3. The principle of distinction; 4. A democratic aristocracy; 5. The verdict of the people; 6. Metamorphoses of representative government; Conclusion; Index.

Dettagli sul prodotto

• Autori: Bernard Manin, Bernard (New York University) Manin, Manin Bernard
• Editore: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Lingue: Inglese
• Formato: Copertina rigida
• Pubblicazione: 28.02.1997
• EAN: 9780521452588
• ISBN: 978-0-521-45258-8
• Pagine: 256
• Serie: Themes in the Social Sciences; Themes in the Social Sciences
• Categorie: Scienze sociali, diritto, economia > Scienze politiche > Scienze politiche e cittadinanza attiva; Scienze umane, arte, musica > Scienze linguistiche e letterarie > Linguistica generale e comparata; POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Ideologies / Democracy, POLITICAL SCIENCE / History & Theory, Political science & theory, Political structures: democracy, Political science and theory, Political structures / systems: democracy