Democracy

δημοκρατία, dēmokratiā, from dēmos ‘people’ and kratos ‘rule

Study of the history of democracy with a focus on ancient Greece and the United States. A few questions for now:

• Can we make an argument in favor of democracy that is not a moral argument? Maybe it is more efficient, the best way to pull a society’s resources? Maybe it gives a way for the most powerful to solve their conflicts without violence? Something else? Nevertheless moral arguments should not be overlooked.
• What makes for a thriving democracy? What makes them die?
• Are western democracies, democracies?

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Online #

• The Scholar Stage’s Pinning for Democracy: a few readings for a list of readings on the American democracy.

Books #

• Seeley - Honeybee democracy
• Finley, Democracy Ancient and Modern
• Ober, Democracy and Knowledge
• Ober, The Rise and Fall of Classical Greece
• Ober, Mass and elite in democratic Greece
• Samons, What’s wrong ith democracy?
• De Tocqueville, De la démocratie en Amérique
• Howe, What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America
• Watson, Liberty and Power: The Politics of Jacksonian America
• Frank, Real democracy - The New England Town Meeting
• Slocpol, Diminished Democracy
• Robert Putnam, Bowling alone
• Lasch, The revolt of elites
• Murray, Coming Apart
• Achen, Democracy for the realists: Why elections do not produce responsive governments
• Grossmann, Artists of the Possible: Governing Networks and American Policy since 1945