Models of democracy

by David Held

Paperback, 1987

Status

Available

Call number

321.8/01

Genres

Politics, Government, Law and Public Policy

Collection

Your library

Publication

Cambridge : Polity, 1987.

Description

The first two editions of Models of Democracy have proven immensely popular among students and specialists worldwide. In a succinct and far-reaching analysis, David Held provides an introduction to central accounts of democracy from classical Greece to the present and a critical discussion of what democracy should mean today. This new edition has been extensively revised and updated to take account of significant transformations in world politics, and a new chapter has been added on deliberative democracy which focuses not only on how citizen participation can be increased in politics, but also on how that participation can become more informed. Like its predecessor, the third edition of Models of Democracy combines lucid exposition and clarity of expression with careful scholarship and originality, making it highly attractive to students and experts in the field. The third edition will prove essential reading for all those interested in politics, political theory and political philosophy. A companion website to Models of Democracy provides lecturer and student resources; including a study guide, an interview with the author and links to develop the reader's understanding of the topics covered.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member vegetarian

David Held has lived in a number of modern industrialized English-speaking nations

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LibraryThing member thcson

This book about models of democracy is itself a model of clarity. The author presents about a dozen historical and contemporary models and strives to articulate the justification principle and the required institutional framework for each model and to add something general about what kind of

society could implement it. So this book will definitely teach you how to theorize democracy. It's mainly an introductory book but it's written so well that more seasoned travelers can also profit from reading it.

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LibraryThing member the.ken.petersen

I found this a hard, but worthwhile read. David Held writes well, but this is clearly designed as a text for an educational course and there were stages at which I would have welcomed a co-reader with whom to discuss what was being reported.

The book takes a look at democracy from its inception, at

the hands of the Greek people, to the beginning of the 21st century. I expect that, if you are less mean than myself and bought a new edition from a book store, it would be even more up to date.

The first, perhaps unsurprising point, is that the perfect democratic system has yet to be created but, that democracy is the only system that even offers the prospect of a halcyon state. The book looks at both right leaning and leftward attempts at the perfect state. As one would expect of a serious tome, neither is favoured: both get a chance to show their strengths and both reveal their weaknesses.

In the final section of the book, Held offers an insight into the problems to come and, as I have already said, my edition was written in 2002, some 13 years before my ingesting thereof: this means that the predicted trials have started to appear. It is impressive to note how accurately Mr Held has been in spotting them. The final issue brought up, is the question of the need for some form of World Government. We see, at the moment, that the USA is taking the role of the world's policeman; it is time that a multinational alternative was considered.

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