Democracy's second act : why politics needs the public / Peter MacLeod and Richard Johnson

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

MacLeod, Peter (Founder of MASS LBP), author.

Johnson, Richard (Former journalist), author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Democracy.

Political participation.

Politics, Practical.

Politics.

politics.

Medical Subjects:

Politics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

Toronto ; Buffalo ; London : Aevo UTP, an imprint of University of Toronto Press, [2026]

Summary:

"Democracy isn't broken--it's stuck. Around the world, people are growing angry and polarized--not because they've stopped caring, but because democracy has stopped evolving. The result isn't apathy--it is a rising sense of political futility. In Democracy's Second Act, Peter MacLeod and Richard Johnson argue that the First Act of democracy--anchored in voting rights and representative government--achieved extraordinary gains. Free elections, near-universal suffrage, and the peaceful transfer of power reshaped societies and expanded human freedom. But these achievements represent the promise of democracy, not its completion. Their book offers a hopeful, clear-eyed vision for what comes next. Drawing on ground-breaking citizens' assemblies in Ireland, Canada and France--as well as democratic innovations from more than a dozen countries--MacLeod and Johnson show how we can build on the legacy of the First Act by creating new institutions that tap into the talents, judgement, and capabilities of ordinary people. They make the case that the public isn't a risk to be managed, but a powerful resource ready to be harnessed and that the future depends on giving citizens real responsibility, not just a periodic vote. Smart, story-driven, and deeply grounded in political theory and practice, Democracy's Second Act is for change-makers ready to move beyond cynicism and rebuild democracy for a new era."-- Provided by publisher

Contents:

Introduction : so much for our lofty ideals

The war on the public

The end of act 1

A tempest and a teacup

The new representatives

Public opinion and its problems

Learning in public

Civic challenges

Democracy by association

In the trenches

Democracy’s second act

Epilogue : loftier ideals

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index

Online resource; title from PDF title page (De Gruyter Brill, viewed June 1, 2026)

Other Format:

Print version: MacLeod, Peter (Founder of MASS LBP) Democracy's second act.

ISBN:

9781487517144

1487517149

9781487517151

1487517157

OCLC:

1547994340

Publisher Number:

CIPO000356496

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license