Isaiah Berlin did not call himself a philosopher. He was a historian of ideas. Indeed, he never explains his philosophy. He shares his ideas through his analysis of the ideas of others. His thoughts are rarely straightforward. Indeed, he will sometimes write one thing before he goes on to contradict it. There is a meaning... Continue Reading →
Takis Pappas explains his theories of populism and liberal democracy. He uses comparative analysis to establish a theoretical context. Before this conversation was recorded, Justin Kempf wrote a reflection on his recent book Populism and Liberal Democracy. Populism as Illiberal Democracy A lot has been made about Viktor Orbán. Indeed, some have argued too... Continue Reading →
As populism and polarization have become part of the common vocabulary of political writings, their meaning has become less provocative. There is a general acceptance of its existence which no longer shocks the senses. But anti-system retains a powerful emotive force for the political scientist. It catches the reader off guard and gains their immediate... Continue Reading →
Theorists largely agree there is a strong connection between politics and economics. The economics of inequality have long drawn similarities to the democratic idea of political equality. Robert Dahl believed an emphasis on economic democracy was necessary to move beyond polyarchy. C. B. MacPherson also found the economic inequalities found in Western Democracies inconsistent with... Continue Reading →
Political modernization for Samuel Huntington involved the creation of political institutions designed to facilitate the professionalization and organization necessary for an expanded role of governance. Note it is the institutions which are central for political modernization. Political parties, for example, became vehicles for mass political participation not just within democracies but even within nondemocratic political... Continue Reading →
Democratic theory begins with Robert Dahl. No one theorist has been able to surpass him for his breadth and clarity about democracy. So many expectations are placed on Dahl that it is only natural he disappoints. But this is a testament to his influence rather than a criticism of his work. Enough time has passed... Continue Reading →
It is wrong to ridicule Francis Fukuyama’s End of History and the Last Man. Sometimes people have used the title to belittle the ideas of the book. Obviously, history did not end. But Fukuyama never made an apocalyptic prediction. He meant an end of history in a philosophic sense. Marx predicted a communist utopia would... Continue Reading →
In Democracy in America Tocqueville was amazed how average Americans not only participated in politics but consumed it regularly. Politics has long been the true American pastime. And it influences multiple aspects of American society. So, liberalism is not simply the dominant strain of American political thought. It is incorporated into multiple aspects of American... Continue Reading →
Anyone who studies democracy seriously must eventually find their way to Robert A. Dahl. Nobody has written more about democratic theory than Dahl. Yet there is a struggle within his writing to resolve the multiple values of democratic society. Giovanni Sartori accepted a natural conflict between equality and liberty. But Dahl was not prepared to... Continue Reading →
