Imperfect Democracies

Canada and the United States are consistently ranked among the most democratic countries in the world, yet voices expressing concern about the quality of these democracies are becoming louder and more insistent. Critics maintain that the two countries suffer from a “democratic deficit,” a deficit that raises profound questions about the legitimacy and effectiveness of their democratic institutions. Imperfect Democracies brings together Canadian and American scholars to compare and contrast the democratic deficit in the two nations. Blending normative theory and empirical analysis, they focus on three key questions: Why talk about a democratic deficit? In what ways are Canadian and American democracies falling short? What can be done to remedy the deficit? An important contribution to the field of democratic theory and the study of democratic institutions, this timely book will spark debate on both sides of the border.

"This book re-examine what democracy is, in the context of democratic disenchantment and surge of support for populist parties, in most, if not all, democratic systems"--

Canada and the United States are consistently ranked among the most democratic countries in the world, yet voices expressing concern about the quality of these democracies are becoming louder and more insistent. Critics maintain that the two countries suffer from a “democratic deficit,” a deficit that raises profound questions about the legitimacy and effectiveness of their democratic institutions. Imperfect Democracies brings together Canadian and American scholars to compare how the democratic deficit plays out in the two nations. An important contribution to the field of democratic theory and the study of democratic institutions, this timely book will spark debate on both sides of the border.

Is Democracy a Lost Cause? explores the current debate on democracy. It starts by discussing the meaning of ‘democracy’ and how the understanding of this important political concept has either broadened or contracted, depending on changing political circumstances. Mastropaolo then poses the question of what it means for democracy to be the ‘government of the people’. He deals with the way in which democratic government has been affected by changes in the fabric of society, by the evolution of democratic theory itself, and by the transformations affecting the state and political parties. Political class and citizens’ attitudes towards democratic politics, increasingly characterised by resentment and often taking the form of an anti-politics, are analysed in the concluding chapters.

The defining characteristic of modern liberal democrats has been their belief that man is 'fundamentally good' and that the goodness of his nature will come to the surface once he is freed from oppression and want and his actions are guided by 'free choice'. This belief can now be put to the test in the advanced democracies of the West which have essentially satisfied these conditions thus providing man with an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate the fundamental goodness of human nature in practice. In An Imperfect Fit the author offers a picture of its manifestations and it is not too bright. It shows their growing divergence from the cherished belief in all three dimensions of democracy - liberty, equality, and fraternity. But it also shows a stubborn refusal of democratic establishments to face this reality and their ever greater determination to make the dream come true by forcing the 'fundamental goodness' on man's nature from above by 'perfecting' the system. In this the author sees the greatest danger facing democracy today - 'outdemocratizing' itself into self-destruction. Customers from European countries can reduce shipping cost and delivery time by ordering the book from Trafford's UK office by phone (01270 251396), fax (01270 254983), or email ([email protected]). Orders placed online by European customers will automatically go through the UK office.

This book comments on growing authoritarianism in democracy and suggests how it ought to be instead. It asks if some degree of authoritarianism is the need of the hour to address potentially existential issues facing the human race. Readers are encouraged to analyse the state of democracy in their own countries and verify if it meets their expectations, or if it is just a myth or an imposter, or a necessary but imperfect compulsion in the absence of a perfect alternative. The book presents a commentary on the state of democracy in some of the world’s leading democracies. It aims to challenge the human mind, which seems to be getting accustomed to not having to think, thanks to a constant bombardment of information—real and fake and in-between—that it receives through social and print media, which is freely accessible through smartphone to which it has become addicted. It discusses how the drivers of capitalism – through their business-like connections with powerful and influential politicians and celebrities—could be cleverly manipulating the gullible human mind and exploiting the system to their own material benefit.

What becomes clear throughout is that there is a paradox at the heart of Latin America's democracies. Despite decades of struggle to replace authoritarian dictatorships with electoral democracies, solid economic growth (leading up to the global credit crisis), and increased efforts by the state to extend the benefits of peace and prosperity to the poor, democracy - as a political system - is experiencing declining support, and support for authoritarianism is on the rise.

Considers the social requirements for a thriving democracy