The Principles of Representative GovernmentThe thesis of this original and provocative book is that representative government should be understood as a combination of democratic and undemocratic elements. Challenging the conventionally held views on the subject, 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. The author identifies the essential features of democratic institutions and reviews the history of their application. |
Contents
Direct democracy and representation selection of officials in Athens | 8 |
The triumph of election | 42 |
the lessons of history | 44 |
The political theory of election and lot in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries | 67 |
consenting to power rather than holding office | 79 |
The principle of distinction | 94 |
England | 95 |
France | 98 |
The verdict of the people | 161 |
Partial independence of representatives | 163 |
Freedom of public opinion | 167 |
The repeated character of elections | 175 |
Trial by discussion | 183 |
Metamorphoses of representative government | 193 |
Parliamentarianism | 202 |
Party democracy | 206 |
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Common terms and phrases
Anti-Federalists argument aristocratic Aristotle Assembly Athenian Democracy Athens candidates Carl Schmitt centuriate assemblies characteristics choice choose citizens classes cleavages concept consent constitution Corporatism Council courts culture debate decide decisions democratic dimension discussion distinction effect egalitarian electoral districts elites equality equality of outcome established expression fact favor Federalist Florentine founders of representative Freedom of public functions Guicciardini Hansen Harrington Ibid individuals institutions Madison magistracies magistrates majority Melancton Smith ment modern Montesquieu natural aristocracy nature of election objective oligarchic Parliament parliamentarianism particular party democracy person polls popular position possible prerogative century principle procedure property qualification proposed public opinion reason reflected regarded representative democracy representative government republic republican result role rotation Rousseau rule rulers Schmitt Schumpeter selection by lot sense Siéyès social Social Contract speech suffrage superior term tion tive traits Treatise of Government University Press vote voters wealth