Benjamin Barber Strong Democracy Pdf
Abstract The problem with liberal democracy, according to Barber, is that liberal political dieory and liberal institutions inevitably subvert democratic values. Hence, Barber concludes, if democracy is to have a future, it must sever its connection with liberalism.
Benjamin Barber Strong Democracy Pdf
This, in a nutshell, is die theme of Strong Democracy. Barber is not simply a democrat; he is a communitarian. Like so many critics of liberalism across die political spectrum from Burke to Marx, he regards liberal individualism as a corrosive that dissolves die civic bond, leaving men psychically isolated, politically alienated, and powerless. He labels liberal democracy a “diin dieory” of democracy, because it treats public life as a means to privatistic ends.
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Discussion led by Hannah Werner. Benjamin Barber’s book: “Strong democracy. Participatory politics for a new age” from 1984 is one of the seminal pieces in the literature on democratic theory and specifically relevant for topics such as participation, institutional design, political debate and the interplay between the political sphere and individuals lifeworlds. In “Strong Democracy” Barber criticizes liberal (“thin”) democracy for being the core reason for democratic malaise and, in the second part, argues for participatory democracy.
Benjamin Barber Strong Democracy Summary
The author's main argument is that in a liberal society citizens can only accept a representative system if there is a strong element of citizen involvement. Although considered highly influential for the scholarly debate, the book also received substantial criticism for being polemic and one-sided.