Democracies in Peril?

ISBN-13: 9781032029900 / Twarda / 2023 / 288 str.

the Netherlands) Keman Amsterdam Hans (Vrije University

Opis

This insightful text rigorously examines and accounts for contemporary developments – and crucially a reversal of ‘democraticness’ - in democratic polities and related political processes comparing 38 democracies across the world. The focus is on contemporary developments and recent volatile levels of democraticness.

Recenzje

'Democracies in Peril proceeds with the evenhandedness of a diplomat and the incisive analytical insight of a superbly informed scholar. In it Hans Keman explains the value of democracy, with all its limitations, and how the rising menaces of anti-pluralism and populism are slowly derailing liberal democratic practices from within. All who care to understand what is at stake—and we all should—will gain a clear-eyed appreciation of the stakes by pondering the ideas Keman puts on offer.'

Michael McDonald, Professor of Political Science, State University of New York at Binghamton, USA

'This is a thoughtful and realistic account of the much discussed crisis of democracies today making us to understand their weaknesses and defects with ensuing diminishing policy performance and a loss of trust in government. The comprehensive analysis of democracies allows the author to suggest ways out of the current legitimacy crisis by making proposals for building higher levels of confidence in the democratic system. The book sets new standards in the discussion on the democratic backlash. A must read!'

Dietmar Braun, Professor of Political Science, University of Lausanne, Switzerland

Spis treści

1. Prologue: Democracy in the 21^st Century  Part 1: Studying Democracy: Detecting Flaws, Defects and Perils  2. Reversing Trends in ‘Democraticness’  3. Comparative Political Science and the Study of Democracy  4. Thinking about Democracy: The Origins of the Liberal Model  Part 2: Pathways towards Liberal Democratization  5. Designing Liberal Democracy: Institutionalizing the Polity  6. Towards universal suffrage and representation of the people  7. Who Governs at the end of the day in a Democracy?  Part 3: Contemporary Approaches to the Development of Democracy  8. Polyarchy and Pluralism: Waves of Democratization  9. Consensus Democracy: The Alternative to Polyarchy?  10. Parties and Democracy: Does Politics Matter?  Part 4: The Liberal Model as a Yardstick of Full Democracy?  11. Ranking the Stars of Democraticness  12. The Limits of the Liberal Democratic Model  13. Signs of Backsliding: Illiberalism and Populism  Part 5: Liberal Democracy, the National State Governing Society  14. Macro-Politics and Micro-Performance of the ‘state’  15. Liberal Democracy, Legitimacy and Stateness: Micro Performance  16. Legitimacy and the Liberal Democratic State in the 21^st Century  17. Epilogue: Backsliding into the 21^st Century: outmoded or viable and resilient?

O autorze

Hans Keman is Professor Emeritus of Comparative Political Science at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam), Netherlands.