Customer Reviews

The Life and Times of Liberal Democracy (Opus Books)

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This book was required reading for a class on political, economic, and environmental processes at The Evergreen State College. The word "liberal" in the title should not be confused with the modern use of the word, i.e., liberal vs. conservative. This book uses it in the classic sense of a constitutional democracy with protections for individual rights. The book is eye opening because it teaches that the evolution of liberal democracy has had less to do with idealism than it has with the enlightened self-interest of the merchant class. The book is somewhat dense reading (lots of ideas tightly compacted) but relatively short, and a worthwhile read for anyone who is politically active.