Synopses & Reviews
A theoretical and empirically spirited defence of democratic governance.
Review
"This brilliant counterrevolutionary book makes a frontal attack on the widely accepted claim that Kenneth Arrow's impossibility theorem for social choice shows democracy to be impossible, arbitrary, and meaningless. In delightfully direct and jargon-free language, Mackie demolishes the theoretical and empirical bases for this claim, notably in the strong version defended by William Riker and his students. His careful and exhaustive re-examination of all the instances on which Riker based his arguments is particularly valuable. At the same time, he puts up a strong defense--two cheers at least--for the institutions of representative democracy. After this vigorous and rigorous attack, social choice theory will never be the same again." Jon Elster, Columbia University"Is democracy desirable? Is it even feasible? Much of the work in formal political analysis comes to a negative conclusion on both questions, leading researchers to believe that democracy is incoherent. In this remarkable book, Gerry Mackie has taken a position that contradicts most of the received results of the past fifty years. But he has done more than simply critique the existing work. He weaves together the notes of a paean to democracy, as it is actually practiced in the political world.... The book is well-written, both in its scholarly and polemical voices. Some readers will be informed, and others will be outraged, by the arguments marshalled here. But anyone who is seriously interested in democracy or democratization simply must give this book a close and thoughtful read." Michael Munger, Duke University"This is a true tour de force. Gerry Mackie has looked at many of William Riker's best known stories about great manipulations in American history. In almost every case, Riker's story does not hold up--but Mackie's story is as interesting as Riker's. This book is a must read for everyone interested in analytical narratives and political theory." Iain McLean, University of Oxford
Review
"...path-breaking, thorough, and innovative...It will be 'must reading' for all who wish to understand democracy given the work in the social field over the last 50 years." Social Justice Research, Joe Oppenheimer"This brilliant counterrevolutionary book makes a frontal attack on the widely accepted claim that Kenneth Arrow's impossibility theorem for social choice shows democracy to be impossible, arbitrary, and meaningless. In delightfully direct and jargon-free language, Mackie demolishes the theoretical and empirical bases for this claim, notably in the strong version defended by William Riker and his students. His careful and exhaustive re-examination of all the instances on which Riker based his arguments is particularly valuable. At the same time, he puts up a strong defense--two cheers at least--for the institutions of representative democracy. After this vigorous and rigorous attack, social choice theory will never be the same again." Jon Elster, Columbia University"This is a true tour de force. Gerry Mackie has looked at many of William Riker's best known stories about great manipulations in American history. In almost every case, Riker's story does not hold up--but Mackie's story is as interesting as Riker's. This book is a must read for everyone interested in analytical narratives and political theory." Iain McLean, University of Oxford"Democracy Defended, by Gerry Mackie, is the latest shooting star in the political science galaxy... [T]he book contains many terrific points, as important to lawyers who think about appellate decisions, legislative intent, and voting law as to the book's intended audience." Saul Levmore, Dean, University of Chicago Law School, for University of Chicago Law Review"Mackie does an awfully nice job explaining and exploring Arrow's work....Mackie's chapter (six) on [Arrow's independence] condition, standing alone, is more than worth the price of this hefty volume. As careful as he is with Arrow's formal theory, though, Mackie's passionate interest -- and original contribution -- lies in shredding the extensions and empirical applications offered by the late William Riker and his followers at Rochester....Mackie's response [to Riker's most famous example of cycling] is so devastating, so mortifying, that I stopped breathing when I read it....Mackie is beyond tenacious, he is the Inspector Javert of polemics, in ruthlessly tracking down and demolishing every single purported instance of cycling Riker offered, as well as other instances floating around in the literature. His reexamination of the historical record in these cases is original and profound....Not many heretical tracts are as fun as this one, either." Don Herzog, University of Michigan Law School, for University of Chicago Law Review
Synopsis
A prevalent view in political science is that democratic outcomes are unavoidably arbitrary and meaningless, and thus that there is no such thing as the public good. In this book, Gerry Mackie confronts and subdues these long-standing doubts about democratic governance. Mackie argues that the scepticsâtheoretical claims are exaggerated, unrealistic, or mistaken. He also argues that almost every one of their empirical illustrations is erroneous, and that none is of normative concern. Mackie mounts a spirited defence of democracy and the possibility of a public good.
Synopsis
Is there such a thing as the public good? A number of noted scholars have questioned the effectiveness and fairness of democratic voting. In this book Gerry Mackie confronts these doubts about democratic governance. He examines their claims in details, and finds that almost every one is erroneous and none is normatively troubling. Mackie concludes that such views of democracy are neither theoretically nor empirically warranted, and mounts a fierce defence of democratic institutions.
About the Author
Gerry Mackie is a Research Fellow at the Research School of Social Sciences, Institute of Advanced Studies, Australian National University.
Table of Contents
1. A long, dark shadow over democratic politics; 2. The doctrine of democratic irrationalism; 3. Is democratic voting inaccurate?; 4. The Arrow general possibility theorem; 5. Is democracy meaningless? Arrow's condition of unrestricted domain; 6. Is democracy meaningless? Arrow's condition of the independence of irrelevant alternatives; 7. Strategic voting and agenda control; 8. Multidimensional chaos; 9. Assuming irrational actors: the Powell Amendment; 10. Assuming irrational actors: the Depew amendment; 11. Unmanipulating the manipulation: the Wilmot proviso; 12. Unmanipulating the manipulation: the election of Lincoln; 13. Antebellum politics concluded; 14. More of Riker's cycles debunked; 15. Other cycles debunked; 16. New dimensions; 17. Plebiscitarianism against democracy; 18. Democracy resplendent.