The Principles of Representative Government - Couverture rigide

Manin, Bernard

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 0521452589 ISBN 13 : 9780521452588

Editeur : Cambridge University Press, 1997

Synopsis

Book by Manin Bernard

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

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.

Revue de presse

'Manin's book is scholarly written, thought-provoking, a pleasure to read and challenging to modern representative democracy.' Manfred Holler, Homo oeconomicus XV

À propos de cette édition

• Éditeur: Cambridge University Press
• Date d'édition: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0521452589
• ISBN 13: 9780521452588
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 256