Demopolis
Subtitle: democracy before liberalism in theory and practice
By: Josiah Ober
Series: The Seeley Lectures; John Robert Seeley lectures
Published: 2017
Language: eng
Number of pages: 204
ISBN-13: 9781316510360; 9781316649831
Copyright date: 2017
Subjects: Philosophy; Democracy; History
Description: "What did democracy mean before liberalism? What are the consequences for our lives today? Combining history with political theory, this book restores the core meaning of democracy as collective and limited self-government by citizens. That, rather than majority tyranny, is what democracy meant in ancient Athens, before liberalism. Participatory self-government is the basis of political practice in 'Demopolis', a hypothetical modern state powerfully imagined by award-winning historian and political scientist Josiah Ober. Demopolis' residents aim to establish a secure, prosperous, and non-tyrannical community, where citizens govern as a collective, both directly and through representatives, and willingly assume the costs of self-government because doing so benefits them, both as a group and individually. Basic democracy, as exemplified in real Athens and imagined Demopolis, can provide a stable foundation for a liberal state. It also offers a possible way forward for religious societies seeking a realistic alternative to autocracy"--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Basic democracy; title: The meaning of democracy in classical Athens; title: Founding Demopolis; title: Legitimacy and civic education; title: Human capacities and civic participation; title: Civic dignity and other necessary conditions; title: Delegation and expertise; title: A theory of democracy.