1111 2 3 4 5111 6111 Theories of Democracy 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3111 Theories of Democracy: a critical introduction is a comprehensive and access- 4 ible introduction to the main theories of democracy, covering the historical 5 development of the many different forms and the problems faced by each. 6 Frank Cunningham begins with the development of democracy from 7 ancient Greece to the present day, examining the views of prominent figures 8 such as Aristotle, John Stuart Mill, Rousseau, Alexis de Tocqueville, and 9 Schumpeter. He explains the main objections to democracy, including the 20111 challenges of majority tyranny, irrational decision-making procedures and 1 ineffectual government. Cunningham distinguishes between several compet- 2 ing theories of democracy: liberal democracy, classic pluralism, catallaxy, 3 participatory democracy, deliberative democracy, and radical pluralism. A 4 detailed case study uses the example of globalization to show how the various 5 democratic theories are concretely applied, and notes the strengths and 6 weaknesses of the different theories in coping with the problem that global- 7 ization poses for democratic structures. Theories of Democracy contains three 8 helpful discussion sections that concentrate on the recurrent themes of 9 liberal democracy and capitalism, democracy and representation, and the 30111 value of democracy. 1 Clearly written and focusing on contemporary debate, Theories of 2 Democracy provides an accessible introduction for the student or general 3 reader and also makes an original contribution to contemporary political 4 philosophy. 5 6 Frank Cunningham is a lecturer in the philosophy department at the 7 University of Toronto. He is the author of Democratic Theory and Socialism 8 (1987) and The Real World of Democracy (1994). 9 40111 1 2 3 44111 1111 2 3 4 5 6 Routledge Contemporary Political Philosophy 7 8 Edited by David Archard, University of St Andrews 9 and Ronald Beiner, University of Toronto 1011 1 2 3 Routledge Contemporary Political Philosophy is an exciting new series for 4 students of philosophy and political theory. Designed for those who have 5 already completed an introductory philosophy or politics course, each book 6 in the series introduces and critically assesses a major topic in political phil- 7 osophy. Long-standing topics are refreshed and more recent ones made 8 accessible for those coming to often complex issues and arguments for the 9 first time. After introducing the topic in question, each book clearly explains 20111 the central problems involved in understanding the arguments for and 1 against competing theories. Relevant contemporary examples are used 2 throughout to illuminate the problems and theories concerned, making the 3 series essential reading not only for philosophy and politics students but 4 those in related disciplines such as sociology and law. Each book in the series 5 is written by an experienced author and teacher with special knowledge of 6 the topic, providing a valuable resource for both students and teachers alike. 7 8 Forthcoming titles: 9 30111 1 Multiculturalism 2 Ayelet Shachar 3 4 Equality 5 Melissa Williams 6 7 Public Reason and Deliberation 8 Simone Chambers 9 40111 1 2 3 44111 1111 2 3 4 5 6 Theories of Democracy 7 8 9 A critical introduction 1011 1 2 3111 4 5 6 Frank Cunningham 7 8 9 20111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 TL E D 8 U G O 9 E R 40111 • • T a p 1 y u lo ro r G 2 & Francis 3 44111 London and New York 1111 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3 First published 2002 4 by Routledge 5 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE 6 Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada 7 by Routledge 8 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 9 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group 20111 This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2002. 1 © 2002 Frank Cunningham 2 Printed and bound in Great Britain by 3 T J International Ltd, Padstow, Cornwall 4 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or 5 reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, 6 or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval 7 system, without permission in writing from the publishers. 8 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data 9 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library 30111 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data 1 Cunningham, Frank, 1940– 2 Theories of democracy: a critical introduction / Frank Cunningham. 3 p. cm.– (Routledge contemporary political philosophy) 4 Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Democracy. I. Title. II. Series. 5 JC423 .C794 2001 6 321.8–dc21 2001034998 7 ISBN 0–415–22878–6 (hbk) 8 ISBN 0–415–22879–4 (pbk) 9 ISBN 0-203-46624-1 Master e-book ISBN 40111 1 2 ISBN 0-203-77448-5 (Adobe eReader Format) 3 44111 1111 2 3 4 5 6 Contents 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3111 List of figures vi 4 Acknowledgements vii 5 6 1 Introduction 1 7 8 2 Problems of democracy 15 9 20111 3 Liberal democracy 27 1 Discussion: Liberal democracy and capitalism 46 2 3 4 Liberal democracy and the problems 52 4 5 5 Classic pluralism 73 6 Discussion: Representation 90 7 8 6 Catallaxy 101 9 30111 7 Participatory democracy 123 1 2 8 Democratic pragmatism 142 3 Discussion: The value of democracy 149 4 5 9 Deliberative democracy 163 6 7 10 Radical pluralism 184 8 9 11 Applying democratic theories: globalization 198 40111 1 2 Bibliography 218 3 Subject index 239 44111 Name index 244 1111 2 3 4 5 6 Figures 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3 1 Democratic-theoretical focuses 11 4 2 Pitkin’s classifications of representation 92 5 3 Voter/political party variations 105 6 (Downe 1957: 118–19, 122) 7 4 Democratic rule-making variables 107 8 (Buchan and Tullock 1962: 71) 9 5 Reasons to value democracy 152 20111 6 Domains of global democracy 216 1 (Saward 2000: 39) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 40111 1 2 3 44111 1111 2 3 4 5 6 Acknowledgements 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3111 This book was commissioned by David Archard and Ronald Beiner on behalf 4 of Routledge to be an introduction to democratic theory addressed to an 5 educated readership. The plan of the book is outlined at the beginning of 6 Chapter 1. In its preparation I was aided by Professors Archard and Beiner 7 themselves and by Nader Hashemi and the editoral staff of Routledge. I am 8 also grateful to Derek Allen, H.D. Forbes, Joseph Heath, Lynda Lange, 9 Chantal Mouffe, Richard Sandbrook, and Melissa Williams for valuable feed- 20111 back on draft chapters. Though the book is by no means a publication of 1 lectures, I have greatly profited from the stimulating and insightful contri- 2 butions of my philosophy and political science students in a course on demo- 3 cratic theory at the University of Toronto over the past several years. My 4 wife, Maryka Omatsu, generously endured me through another writing 5 project, which, yet again, proved to be easier to undertake in anticipation 6 than in fact. 7 8 Toronto 9 August 2001 30111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 40111 1 2 3 44111 1111 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 20111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 40111 1 2 3 44111 1111 Chapter 1 2 3 4 5111 6111 Introduction 7 8 9 1011 1 2 3111 This book aims to provide a map through a selection of contemporary 4 democratic theories. As with an actual map, readers already familiar with 5 the terrain will find it lacking in important detail, and as is known by stu- 6 dents of cartography there are alternative and quite different strategies for 7 organizing a map. Still, the book should give readers with little prior back- 8 ground in democratic theory one overall picture of the lay of the land. Or 9 rather, it covers some land, as the map is not a global one, but is confined 20111 to democratic theories in Western Europe and North America and, even 1 more narrowly, to theorists whose work is written in English or that have 2 found their way into widespread publication in this language. The reason is 3 not belief that no other important democratic theorizing is to be found, but 4 simply because the book is prepared by an Anglo-North American, drawing 5 upon the democratic-theoretical work of his own intellectual environment. 6 Just as a map indicates routes to a variety of destinations while remaining 7 mute about which of them one should take or what to do on arrival, so this 8 book will be more descriptive than prescriptive. At the same time, it would 9 be naive of me or of readers to suppose that the discussions that follow 30111 are not influenced by my political values and democratic-theoretical pro- 1 clivities. Partly to make these opinions transparent, Chapter 8 (‘Democratic 2 Pragmatism’) will outline the perspective in terms of which I strive to make 3 sense of democracy and democratic theories.