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The Meaning of Democracy and the Vulnerabilities of Democracies: A Response to Tocqueville's Challenge,Used
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We struggle in the modern age to preserve individual freedoms and social selfgovernment in the face of large and powerful governments that lay claim to the symbols and language of democracy, according to Vincent Ostrom.Arguing that democratic systems are characterized by selfgoverningnot state governedsocieties, Ostrom contends that the nature and strength of individual relationships and selforganizing behavior are critical to the creation and survival of a democratic political system. Ostrom begins with a basic contradiction identified by Alexis de Tocqueville. De Tocqueville suggested that if citizens acted on the basis of their natural inclinations they would expect government to provide for them and take care of their needs. Yet these conditions contradict what it means to be selfgoverning. Ostrom explores the social and cultural context necessary for a democratic system to flourish emphasizing the important role of ideas and the use of language in defining and understanding political life. Discussing differences in the ideas about social organization among various cultural and intellectual traditions, he considers the difficulties encountered over time in building democratic societies in America, Asia, Europe, and Africa. He outlines lessons from these experiences for the efforts to build democracy in the developing world and the countries emerging from communism.Based on a lifetime of thinking about the social conditions necessary to support a democracy, this book makes a significant contribution to the recent discussion about civil society and the fragility of our formal and informal social institutions and will be of interest to social scientists, historians and all readers concerned with the state of democracy in the modern world.Vincent Ostrom is Arthur F. Bentley Professor of Political Science Emeritus and CoDirector of the Workshop on Political Theory and Policy Analysis, Indiana University. He is the author of many works on political theory and public administration.
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- Q: What is the main theme of 'The Meaning of Democracy and the Vulnerabilities of Democracies'? A: The main theme of the book is the struggle to preserve individual freedoms and social self-government within democratic systems, highlighting the tension between state governance and self-governance.
- Q: Who is the author of this book? A: The author of the book is Vincent Ostrom, who is a notable political scientist and Emeritus Professor at Indiana University.
- Q: When was this book published? A: This book was published on June 6, 1997.
- Q: What is the page count of this book? A: The book has a total of 360 pages.
- Q: What is the format of this book? A: The book is available in paperback format.
- Q: Does the book provide insights on building democracies in different regions? A: Yes, the book discusses the challenges of building democratic societies in America, Asia, Europe, and Africa, offering lessons for developing countries and those transitioning from communism.
- Q: Is this book suitable for students and professionals? A: Yes, the book is suitable for social scientists, historians, and anyone interested in the state of democracy, making it valuable for both students and professionals.
- Q: What unique perspective does Vincent Ostrom offer in this book? A: Vincent Ostrom emphasizes the importance of self-governing societies and the role of individual relationships in sustaining democracy, contrasting it with state-governed systems.
- Q: Are there any specific cultural contexts discussed in the book? A: Yes, the book explores various cultural and intellectual traditions and their impact on social organization and democratic practices.
- Q: What type of readers would benefit from this book? A: Readers interested in political theory, democracy, and civil society, including academics and general readers concerned about the current state of democracy, would benefit from this book.