Description
Taylor & Francis Democracy 2007 Edition by Michael Saward
Democracy refers both to a political system and a political idea. As a name for a political system, it refers to the fact that the people themselves rule in some sense - indirectly through elected representatives in the modern period. As an idea, it stands for the desire to deepen and extend the ideal of self-government. Arguably, tensions between these two dimensions are part of democracy's flexibility and vibrancy as a concept. The two dimensions can be seen as two sides of the same coin, as democracy must be expressed as an idea before it can be practised.This new Routledge Major Work, a four-volume collection of classic and cutting-edge scholarship, is built around the importance of the idea of democracy. It contains much material on democratic institutions, procedures and histories, all of which embodies or interprets the idea of democracy in informative or provocative ways. Materials have been chosen which are strong on theory, but which recognize that a key part of theory's importance lies in its deep engagement with democratic practice. The main areas covered are: classical and pre-twentieth-century theoriesliberal democracy and its criticsdemocratic systems, institutions and measuresdemocracy around the worlddemocratic transitions and transformationsparticipative, direct and deliberative democracytwenty-first-century challenges to democracy.With a full index and a new introduction specially written by the editor, Democracy is destined to be welcomed by political scientists-and those working in allied fields-as an invaluable reference resource. Table of contents :- Volume 1 Part I: Defining and Justifying Democracy: The Basic Issues Part II: Classical Themes: Theory and Practice Part III: Liberal Democracy and its Critics Volume 2 Part IV: Democratic Systems, Institutions and Measures Part V: The Idea of Democracy Around the World: Continuities and Cultural Variations Volume 3 Part VI: Democratic Transitions and Transformations Part VII: Participative, Direct and Deliberative Democracy and Representation Volume 4 Part VIII: Twenty-first-Century Democracy: Challenges and Responses