How democratic is the American Constitution? / Robert A. Dahl.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Dahl, Robert A., 1915-2014

Series:

Yale Nota bene

Castle lectures in ethics, politics, and economics

The Castle lectures in ethics, politics, and economics

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Constitutional law--United States.

Constitutional law.

United States.

Constitutional history--United States.

Constitutional history.

Democracy--United States.

Democracy.

Physical Description:

x, 224 pages : illustrations ; 20 cm.

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

New Haven, Conn. : Yale University Press, 2003.

Summary:

In this provocative book, one of our most eminent political scientists questions the extent to which the American Constitution furthers democratic goals. Robert Dahl reveals the Constitution's potentially antidemocratic elements and explains why they are there, compares the American constitutional system to other democratic systems, and explores how we might alter our political system to achieve greater equality among citizens. In a new chapter for this second edition, he shows how increasing differences in state populations revealed by the Census of 2000 have further increased the veto power over constitutional amendments held by a tiny minority of Americans. He then explores the prospects for changing some important political practices that are not prescribed by the written Constitution, though most Americans may assume them to be so.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [195]-216) and index.

ISBN:

0300095244

OCLC:

52783753