Customer Reviews

Democracy and Its Critics

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a highly readable summary of Dahl's earlier work. Non-academics will find his use of dialogue easily accessible. Perhaps it's greatest success is the way that it thoughtfully approaches the basic premises of democracy, foundational principles all too-often glossed over in democratic literature.

Dahl created a bunch of dialogues that clearly illustrate specific problems with anarchism and elitism. Then, he discussed democracy and his hopes for the future. He's a fine writer and thinker who deserves more attention from non-academics.

This is an excelent book on political theory and also one of the best defenses of democracy as a political system I have ever read. Specially good it its chapter on "guardinship", contradicting the most common arguments in favor of different "tutors" of the people.