Democracy

As the U.S. strives to establish democracy in Iraq and contemplates its own democratic system in the wake of the presidential election, David Beetham offers new insights into democracy. He looks at real examples such as the role of the citizen and how large corporations affect democracy as well as contemplating the future of democracy in the developed and developing worlds. "A strong and shrewd mixture of analysis and polemic... If more was not to come, I would call this the author's crowning achievement." - Sir Bernard Crick, advisor on citizenship to the UK government and author of In Defence of Politics. "Beetham's book should stimulate anyone, beginner or expert, who is interested in the survival and renewal of democracy in the era of globalization." - Professor Peter Singer, author of The President of Good and Evil: Taking George Bush Seriously and One World: The Ethics of Globalization.Contents; 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