The Life and Times of Liberal DemocracyIn this brief but powerful book, acclaimed political philosopher C.B. Macpherson sets out in bold relief the essence of liberal democracy, both as it is currently conceived and as it might be reimagined. Macpherson argues that from its beginnings liberal democracy has accepted the underpinning principle of capitalist societies, that the "market maketh man." If that remains the central assumption of liberal democracy, Macpherson declares, then as an organizing framework for society, liberal democracy has reached the end of its useful life. But if a broader concept of liberal democracy is accepted-"if [Macpherson writes] liberal democracy is taken to mean a society striving to ensure that all its members are equally free to realize their capabilities"--The great days of liberal democracy may yet lie ahead. |
Contents
Models and Precursors | 1 |
PRECURSORS OF LIBERAL DEMOCRACY | 9 |
Model | 25 |
Copyright | |
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A. D. Lindsay accepted actual argued assumption Berelson capital citizens claim class inequality class-divided society competitive consciousness consumer sovereignty countries cracy cratic Dahl decisions demands democratic franchise democratic political Democratic Theory descriptive direct democracy economic effective elected electorate élites energy equal ethical existing expected explanatory extent formulation human Ibid increasing individual interests James Mill John Stuart Mill Joseph Schumpeter labour least liberal democracy liberal-democratic market society ment Mill's model Model 2B model of democracy model of liberal moral needed nineteenth century oligopolistic oligopoly one-class society operate optimum equilibrium participatory democracy party system plural plural voting pluralist political market political participation political process political system popular initiative possible prerequisite present prevail principle problem produce pyramidal councils question relation responsible revolution Schumpeter Sidney Verba social inequality suffrage sumers theorists tion twentieth century vicious circle vote voters wealth Western workers