Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
A much-anticipated guide to saving democracy, from one of our most essential political thinkers
Today, democracy appears to be the only game in town. No other system of governance attracts loyalty and support on such a large scale. And yet democracy is also in crisis, with the rise of illiberal leaders and political discontent across the West. If democracy is a game, we seem less and less sure what its rules and intended results are supposed to be.
In his previous book, What Is Populism?, Jan-Werner M ller offered an authoritative diagnosis of populist rulers and movements around the world and the threat they pose. It was hailed as "the most essential work to comprehend Trump's appeal" by The Washington Post and as "essential reading" by The Guardian. In Democracy Rules, M ller offers a blueprint for how democracies can survive and flourish, even in trying times. In a series of elegant essays, M ller shows that today's "democracy defense industry" is badly misguided--fears of the return of fascism and other totalitarian ideologies are exaggerated, the idea that we live in a "post-truth" era is wrong, and "polarization" is not a useful way to describe our political ills.
Instead, M ller sweeps away common myths in order to reconsider democracy's first principles, above all the "institutionalized uncertainty" that allows democracies to balance conflict and cooperation and function effectively without suppressing disagreement. The breakdown of the social contract between elites and other citizens poses a great challenge. So too does the transformation of political institutions and the media by technology. But that does not mean democracy is obsolete or impossible. Taking on many of the most difficult questions we face, Democracy Rules is a vital rethinking of what democracy can mean in an age of big data, curated news feeds, collapsing parties, and social alienation.
Synopsis
A much-anticipated guide to saving democracy, from one of our most essential political thinkers
Everyone knows that democracy is in trouble, but do we know what democracy actually is? Jan-Werner M ller, author of the widely translated and acclaimed What Is Populism?, takes us back to basics. In this short, elegant volume, he explains how democracy is founded not just on liberty and equality, but also on uncertainty. The latter will sound unattractive at a time when the pandemic has created unbearable uncertainty for so many. But it is crucial for ensuring democracy's dynamic and creative character, which remains one of its signal advantages over authoritarian alternatives that seek to render politics (and individual citizens) completely predictable.
M ller shows that we need to re-invigorate the intermediary institutions that have been deemed essential for democracy's success ever since the nineteenth century: political parties and free media. Contrary to conventional wisdom, these are not spent forces in a supposed age of post-party populist leadership and post-truth. M ller suggests concretely how democracy's critical infrastructure of intermediary institutions could be renovated, re-empowering citizens while also preserving a place for professionals such as journalists and judges. These institutions are also indispensable for negotiating a democratic social contract that reverses the secession of plutocrats and the poorest from a common political world.