David Beetham

Democracy: A Beginner's Guide

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

As new democracies struggle for survival in Afghanistan and elsewhere, this timely work confronts the challenges facing modern democracy and asks: is it still worth fighting for? Opening with the history of an idea dating back to Ancient Greece, this clear and accessible guide not only explains the theory behind democracy, but also considers its practical application, addressing such issues as: ¿ corporate might: does big business undermine the democratic process? ¿ the UN in action: can democracy operate internationally? ¿ citizens¿ juries: people power or talking shops? Designed for the activist, the student and the simply curious, this challenging, informative and highly readadble book features such useful resources as an annotated list of websites and organisations and a glossary of key terms. As both a handbook and a manifesto, it offers new directions for a modern democracy based on freedom, equality and active participation at every level of society.

Produktdetails

• Beginner's Guides
• Verlag: ONEWorld Publications
• Seitenzahl: 192
• Erscheinungstermin: April 2005
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 215mm x 138mm x 17mm
• Gewicht: 245g
• ISBN-13: 9781851683635
• ISBN-10: 1851683631
• Artikelnr.: 21668056

Autorenporträt

David Beetham is Professor Emeritus of Politics at the University of Leeds, a Fellow of the Human Rights Centre at the University of Essex, and Associate Director of the UK Democratic Audit. He is the author and editor of numerous books and papers, including Political Power and Democratic Control in Britain (with Stuart Weir, 1999). He has travelled internationally in his capacity as consultant on democracy assessment, and is a leading contributor to the field of human rights.

Inhaltsangabe

One Introduction: What is Democracy? Two Democratic Ideas at Work in Practice Citizen rights Institutions of representative and accountable government The associational life of civil society Three Sources of Disillusion in the `Old
Democracies Decline in government autonomy Decline in government capacity Declining credibility Four Success and Setback in the New and Emergent Democracies Legacies of transition Problems of consolidating and deepening democracy State Nation Religion Economy Five Globalising Democracy Democracy promotion Democratising global institutions Democracy and the European Union Six Reviving Democracy: New Forms of Participation Participation in government Co-decision in devolved government Deliberative opinion polls and citizens
juries Referenda and citizens
initiatives Digital democracy Seven Conclusion: Getting Active Glossary of key terms List of democracy and human rights organisations and websites