Towards A Radical Democracy Routledge Revivals

Originally published in 1988, this is the first systematic account of the writings of Hungarian dissidents and former students of George Lukacs, collectively known as the 'Budapest School'. Dr. Brown demonstrates the importance of their work in contributing to a logically consistent yet realistic theory of socialist mixed economies, and genuine radical democracies. The Budapest Schoool's model of radical democracy represents a critique of both industrial capitalism and existing socialist systems, with immediate political as well as philosophical importance. Dr. Brown is particularly concerned to draw out its significance for the practical realities of political economy, and the logical implications for desirable reform of Western mixed economies.

Originally published in 1988, this is the first systematic account of the writings of Hungarian dissidents and former students of George Lukacs, collectively known as the 'Budapest School'. Dr. Brown demonstrates the importance of their work in contributing to a logically consistent yet realistic theory of socialist mixed economies, and genuine radical democracies. The Budapest Schoool's model of radical democracy represents a critique of both industrial capitalism and existing socialist systems, with immediate political as well as philosophical importance. Dr. Brown is particularly concerned to draw out its significance for the practical realities of political economy, and the logical implications for desirable reform of Western mixed economies.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- Part I Situating radical democracy -- 1 The idea of democracy -- 2 Theories of radical democracy -- Part II Radical democracy in action -- 3 Subjects and agency: Who is the radical democrat? -- 4 Communities in question: Where is the radical democrat? -- 5 Radical deliberations: The radical democrat in action -- Part III Radical democracy in a globalized world -- 6 Radical cosmopolitanism -- 7 Greening democracy as radical democracy -- Conclusion -- Index

First published in 1967, this essay in the interpretation of radical social thought deals mainly with the radical theorists rather than the doctrines of social and political movements, but makes an exception in an important discussion of the new radicalism of the 1960s. The author's main concern is to lay bare the connections between intellectual dissent and theories of society, and in so doing to to explore the neglected subject of the heritage of American radical thinking. Readers of this book will not only emerge enlightened by Professor Bottomore's impressive knowledge of American radical thought, but with a greatly increased understanding of contemporary American history. He ends with the question of whether the new radicalism can find a firmer basis than the student movement or the negro revolt; cn produce an ideology both responsive to the doutbs and complexties of our time and capable of directing action to plausible ends.

The return to public assemblies and direct democratic methods in the wave of the global "squares movements" since 2011 has rejuvenated interest in forms of council organisation and action. The European council movements, which developed in the immediate post-First World War era, were the most impressive of a number of attempts to develop workers’ councils throughout the twentieth century. However, in spite of the recent challenges to liberal democracy, the question of council democracy has so far been neglected within democratic theory. This book seeks to interrogate contemporary democratic institutions from the perspective of the resources that can be drawn from a revival and re-evaluation of the forgotten ideal of council democracy. This collection brings together democratic theorists, socialists and labour historians on the question of the relevance of council democracy for contemporary democratic practices. Historical reflection on the councils opens our political imagination to an expanded scope of the possibilities for political transformation by drawing from debates and events at an important historical juncture before the dominance of current forms of liberal democracy. It offers a critical perspective on the limits of current democratic regimes for enabling widespread political participation and holding elites accountable. This timely read provides students and scholars with innovative analyses of the councils on the 100th anniversary of their development. It offers new analytic frameworks for conceptualising the relationship between politics and the economy and contributes to emerging debates within political theory on workplace, economic and council democracy.

Radicalism and the Revolt Against Reason is a work that continues to have a steady and large scale impact on political and social theory fifty years since its first appearance. A study of how radical thought modifies its actions and ideologies in a time of unrealized and frustrated expectations, the focus is on Georges Sorel and the Europe of the fin de siècle, a time when socialist revolution was forcefully set aside by liberal reform. In a technique that presaged contemporary period, radical demands did not simply dissolve or disappear, they profoundly changed emphasis from the impersonal forces of history to highly personal forces of individual will. This edition includes a substantial brand new introduction by the author.