What democracy is for : on freedom and moral government / Stein Ringen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ringen, Stein.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Democracy.

Business and politics.

Corporate power.

Globalization.

Political ethics.

Social justice.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (336 p.)

Edition:

Course Book

Place of Publication:

Princeton ; Oxford : Princeton University Press, 2009, c2007.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

In this provocative book, Stein Ringen argues that the world's democracies are failing to live up to their ideals--the United States and Great Britain most especially. The core value of democracy, he contends, is freedom, the freedom to live a good life according to one's own choosing. Yet he shows that democracy's freedom is on the decline. Citizens are increasingly distrustful of political systems weighted by money, and they don't participate in political affairs as they once did. Ringen warns of the risks we face if this trend continues, and puts forth an ambitious proposal for democratic reforms. The issues that concern him are ones that should concern us all. They include education, poverty, the social and economic roles of families, the lack of democracy in our economic lives, and the need to rejuvenate municipal democracy. Along the way, Ringen proposes policy solutions aimed at restoring democracy, such as universal vouchers for education, substituting the principle of individual insurance for social-welfare pensions, and rethinking how we measure poverty in rich and poor countries. He calls for the revival of local democracy, a democratically grounded global economy, and the protection of political democracy from the transgressions of economic power. The way to protect democracy is not to cheer it, but to reform it. What Democracy Is For offers a bold defense of democratic ideals, grounded in real reforms.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Preface to the Paperback Edition

Acknowledgments

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1. How Good Are the Good Democracies?

CHAPTER 2. Is Economic Democracy Available?

CHAPTER 3. What Should Welfare States Do?

CHAPTER 4. Can We Eradicate Poverty?

CHAPTER 5. What Do Families Do?

CHAPTER 6. Where Does Freedom Come From?

CONCLUSIONS

APPENDIX A. The Truth About Class Inequality

APPENDIX B. How Good Is the Kindest Democracy?

APPENDIX C. What Does a Good Press Look Like?

APPENDIX D. The Flat-Tax Issue

APPENDIX E. The Basic-Minimum-Income Issue

APPENDIX F. The Index Problem

APPENDIX G. Social Anchorage

References

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [297]-313) and index.

ISBN:

9786612935893

9786612458187

9781282458185

1282458183

9781282935891

1282935895

9781400831678

1400831679

OCLC:

630535210