Can Democracy Work?: A Short History of a Radical Idea, from Ancient Athens to Our World

Prof. James Miller

ISBN 10: 1786076276 / ISBN 13: 9781786076274

Published by Oneworld Publications 02/r /05 M, 2019

About this Item

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: Can Democracy Work?: A Short History of a Radical Idea, from Ancient Athens to Our World
• Publisher: Oneworld Publications 02/r /05 M
• Publication Date: 2019
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1786076276
• ISBN 13: 9781786076274
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

Democracy today is widely regarded as an ideal form of government. Yet in practice it sometimes seems a sham, a political puppet show in which hidden elites pull all the strings. 

As trust in elected representatives around the world plunges, it is no wonder that democratic revolts have erupted – from Cairo to Kiev and beyond – in an effort to ‘take back control’.

In this urgent and lively history, James Miller reminds us that democracy has always generated tensions and contradictions. Through philosophical debates and violent uprisings, it has been contested, corrupted, and refined. In different times and different places – from ancient Athens to revolutionary France to post-war America – its meaning has shifted in surprising ways. 

For over two thousand years, the world has experimented with democracy. But can it really work – especially in complex modern societies?

About the Author

James Miller is a professor of politics and the chair of liberal studies at the New School for Social Research. He is the author of The Passion of Michel Foucault among other books. He lives in Manhattan, New York.