Library Catalog
Amazon cover image
Image from Amazon.com

Against Democracy : New Preface / Jason Brennan.

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextPublisher: Princeton, NJ : Princeton University Press, [2017]Copyright date: ©2016Description: 1 online resourceContent type:
Media type:
Carrier type:
ISBN:
  • 9780691178493
  • 9781400888399
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 321.8 23
LOC classification:
  • JC423 .B7834 2017eb
Other classification:
  • online - DeGruyter
Online resources: Available additional physical forms:
  • Issued also in print.
Contents:
Frontmatter -- CONTENTS -- Preface to the 2017 Paperback Edition -- Preface and Acknowledgments -- 1. Hobbits and Hooligans -- 2. Ignorant, Irrational, Misinformed Nationalists -- 3. Political Participation Corrupts -- 4. Politics Doesn'T Empower You Or Me -- 5. Politics Is Not A Poem -- 6. The Right To Competent Government -- 7. Is Democracy Competent? -- 8. The Rule Of The Knowers -- 9. Civic Enemies -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index
Summary: Most people believe democracy is a uniquely just form of government. They believe people have the right to an equal share of political power. And they believe that political participation is good for us-it empowers us, helps us get what we want, and tends to make us smarter, more virtuous, and more caring for one another. These are some of our most cherished ideas about democracy. But Jason Brennan says they are all wrong.In this trenchant book, Brennan argues that democracy should be judged by its results-and the results are not good enough. Just as defendants have a right to a fair trial, citizens have a right to competent government. But democracy is the rule of the ignorant and the irrational, and it all too often falls short. Furthermore, no one has a fundamental right to any share of political power, and exercising political power does most of us little good. On the contrary, a wide range of social science research shows that political participation and democratic deliberation actually tend to make people worse-more irrational, biased, and mean. Given this grim picture, Brennan argues that a new system of government-epistocracy, the rule of the knowledgeable-may be better than democracy, and that it's time to experiment and find out.A challenging critique of democracy and the first sustained defense of the rule of the knowledgeable, Against Democracy is essential reading for scholars and students of politics across the disciplines. Featuring a new preface that situates the book within the current political climate and discusses other alternatives beyond epistocracy, Against Democracy is a challenging critique of democracy and the first sustained defense of the rule of the knowledgeable.
Holdings
Item type Current library Call number URL Status Notes Barcode
eBook eBook Biblioteca "Angelicum" Pont. Univ. S.Tommaso d'Aquino Nuvola online online - DeGruyter (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Online access Not for loan (Accesso limitato) Accesso per gli utenti autorizzati / Access for authorized users (dgr)9781400888399

Frontmatter -- CONTENTS -- Preface to the 2017 Paperback Edition -- Preface and Acknowledgments -- 1. Hobbits and Hooligans -- 2. Ignorant, Irrational, Misinformed Nationalists -- 3. Political Participation Corrupts -- 4. Politics Doesn'T Empower You Or Me -- 5. Politics Is Not A Poem -- 6. The Right To Competent Government -- 7. Is Democracy Competent? -- 8. The Rule Of The Knowers -- 9. Civic Enemies -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index

Most people believe democracy is a uniquely just form of government. They believe people have the right to an equal share of political power. And they believe that political participation is good for us-it empowers us, helps us get what we want, and tends to make us smarter, more virtuous, and more caring for one another. These are some of our most cherished ideas about democracy. But Jason Brennan says they are all wrong.In this trenchant book, Brennan argues that democracy should be judged by its results-and the results are not good enough. Just as defendants have a right to a fair trial, citizens have a right to competent government. But democracy is the rule of the ignorant and the irrational, and it all too often falls short. Furthermore, no one has a fundamental right to any share of political power, and exercising political power does most of us little good. On the contrary, a wide range of social science research shows that political participation and democratic deliberation actually tend to make people worse-more irrational, biased, and mean. Given this grim picture, Brennan argues that a new system of government-epistocracy, the rule of the knowledgeable-may be better than democracy, and that it's time to experiment and find out.A challenging critique of democracy and the first sustained defense of the rule of the knowledgeable, Against Democracy is essential reading for scholars and students of politics across the disciplines. Featuring a new preface that situates the book within the current political climate and discusses other alternatives beyond epistocracy, Against Democracy is a challenging critique of democracy and the first sustained defense of the rule of the knowledgeable.

Issued also in print.

Mode of access: Internet via World Wide Web.

In English.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 23. Mai 2019)