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Democratic Devices and Desires

Paperback / softback

Main Details

Title Democratic Devices and Desires
Authors and Contributors      By (author) Geoffrey Brennan
By (author) Alan Hamlin
SeriesTheories of Institutional Design
Physical Properties
Format:Paperback / softback
Pages:278
Dimensions(mm): Height 229,Width 152
ISBN/Barcode 9780521639774
ClassificationsDewey:321.8
Audience
Professional & Vocational
Illustrations 22 Line drawings, unspecified

Publishing Details

Publisher Cambridge University Press
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publication Date 13 April 2000
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

This book offers a novel account of key features of modern representative democracy. Working from the rational actor tradition, it builds a middle ground between orthodox political theory and the economic analysis of politics. Standard economic models of politics emphasise the design of the institutional devices of democracy as operated by essentially self-interested individuals. This book departs from that model by focusing on democratic desires alongside democratic devices, stressing that important aspects of democracy depend on the motivation of democrats and the interplay between devices and desires. Individuals are taken to be not only rational, but also somewhat moral. The authors argue that this approach provides access to aspects of the debate on democratic institutions that are beyond the narrowly economic model. They apply their analysis to voting, elections, representation, political departments and the separation and division of powers, providing a wide-ranging discussion of the design of democratic institutions.