Although some people consider themselves to be 'absolute democrats in word and deed, many questions concerning democracy are asked by specialists as well as by ordinary people. What is democracy? Are elections sufficient to guarantee the existence of democratic government? Is the principle of majority rule sufficient to ensure democracy? What happens when a properly assembled majority makes regular decisions which harm a minority? Is a unique model of democracy suitable for all countries? Are there rules which are indispensable for all models of democracy?
This book, written by Jean Baechler, professor at the University of the Sorbonne in Paris and author of several works on this subject, analyses in depth the nature of democracy which is, without any doubt, complex and multi-dimensional.
The analytical approach proposed by the author encourages further reflection on all democracy-related problems and provides a solid theoretical background for contemporary discussion. This book is therefore of interest to specialists as well as all those who are striving for the consolidation of democracy in their own countries and throughout the world.
Yet the growing consensus in favour of democracy rests on many unanswered questions. Foremost among these concerns the precise meaning or meanings we should attach to the term. A related question has to do with the applicability of the democratic concept to the wide range of socio-economic and cultural situations existing in the world today. From the practical standpoint, there is much uncertainty as to the best approach to adopt in order to implant or renew with democratic tradition and practice.
If one were to go by experience, one has to keep in mind the fact that there have been many critics of official actions in the last fifty years, but very little that has blamed the democratic order for all that has happened. Although there have been dark patches when the domestic functioning was temporarily given up by the ruling establishment, there was hardly any outright abandonment of the demo-cratic order in preference to absolutist and totalitarianism style of state functioning. It is here that the real strength of Indian democracy lies, that the people at large have so far accepted not even temporary lapses from democratic functioning by those who had been involved with power. What was set up temporarily could not be the model for any non-democratic or anti-democratic political system.
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