Libros / Outstanding Books

about the book

New book published by democracy international is available at http://www.democracy-international.org/book.html.

Around a century ago, most countries in the Western world introduced universal voting rights. Since then, the opportunities for citizens to take part in the political decision-making process have basically never been further extended. But society has definitely evolved considerably during that time. This up-to-date book pleads for a major democratic step forward.

Representative political systems are at odds with the principle of popular sovereignty which underlies democracy. A small group of leaders determine the major policies. Public debate about our future only flares up during elections, after which the citizens stand on the sidelines again for another four years. Despite long debates, politicians hardly ever get round to radical political renewal. This is the reason why many citizens lose interest in politics. Surveys show that a large proportion of the population has lost faith in political institutions. Can such a political system produce solutions for the major issues of these times?

Jos Verhulst discusses the characteristics of the various European political systems and comments on experiences with direct democracy at home and abroad. He also examines the objections to the binding referendum. This is all thoroughly substantiated by numerous scientific surveys, case studies and examples from all over Europe. Nevertheless, the book remains very readable and accessible for every interested reader.

Ronald Pabst / Arjen Nijeboer

from the book’s contents

Chapter 1 – The hidden power of democracy

Why our political system is ready for radical revision. Opinion polls show that a majority of the population of the entire Western world is in favour of the introduction of the referendum, but most politicians are strongly opposed to direct democracy.

Chapter 2 - What is democracy?

An outline of the archetype of democracy: the public assembly. Essential characteristics of democracy. The referendum system as a modern form of public assembly. Fair rules must ensure equality between the referendum system and the representative system. Why turnout thresholds must be avoided.

Chapter 3 - Federalism, subsidiarity and social capital

Federalism: how the voluntary federation of individuals into communities forms the basis for a flourishing political life. The trail-blazing work of political scientist Benjamin Barber. The connection between federalism and social capital (trust and sense of citizenship). The contrast with subsidiarity (the top delegates power downwards). How social capital and direct democracy are connected. How democracy must extend itself in depth, but must actually restrict itself in breadth.

Chapter 4 – The democratic person

Good and evil as basic political concepts. What motivates the modern person? The motivation theory of the psychologist Maslow. Three visions of people, three visions of democracy. The democratic and the authoritarian characters. Happiness and democracy.

Chapter 5 – Lessons from direct-democracy in practice

How direct democracy works in Switzerland. A look at California. How the power of money can be moderated. How the opportunities for referenda were recently expanded substantially in Germany. The story of Schönau: where referenda empowered committed citizens to have their way. A short summary of the referendum in several European countries.

Chapter 6 – Possible objections to direct democracy

Why objections to referenda were also used in the past against holding elections. A discussion of the most significant objections on the basis of scientific studies into the effects of referenda in practice. Is the citizen competent to participate in decision-making? Won’t minorities be threatened? Won’t big money get too much power? Does the referendum really provide sufficient opportunity for nuances? Isn’t there a danger of the voter being overburdened?

The last decades of the twentieth century have seen a spectacular advance of Direct Democracy in many countries of Latin America, not only in respect of the numbers of referendums held (which have doubled in each of the last three decades), but also because of the inclusion of several tools of direct democracy in the national constitutions.

by Donald A. Grinde Jr. and Bruce E. Johansen

This is a book about the oldest participatory democracy in North America:  the Six Nations Confederacy of the Iroquois.  The forefathers of the American Revolution took into consideration this singular model of people's government.

From the Introduction:

"We believe that American history will not be complete until its indigenous aspects have been recognized and incorporated into the teaching of history. We have assembled here a mosaic of fact and opinion which, taken together, indicates that the objective of the contemporary debate should be to define the role Native American precedents deserve in the broader ambit of American history. . . . Our thesis holds that the character of American democracy evolved importantly (although, of course, not soley), from the examples provided by American Indian confederacies which ringed the land borders of the British colonies. These examples provided a reality, as well as exercise for the imagination -- and it is imagination, above all, that foments revolutions. In this book, we attempt to provide a picture of how these native confederacies operated, and how important architects of American institutions, ideals and other character traits perceived them. We operate as much as we are able from the historical record per se, relaying as much of original accounts as possible. . . .

"We attempt to trace both events and ideas: life, liberty, happiness; government by reason and consent rather than coercion, religious toleration (and ultimately religious acceptance) instead of a state church; checks and balances, federalism; relative equality of property, equal rights before the law and the thorny problem of creating a government that can rule equitably across a broad geographic expanse. Native America had a substantial role in shaping all these ideas, as well as the events that turned colonies into a nation of states. In a way that may be difficult to understand from the vantage point of the late twentieth century, Native Americans were present at the conception of the United States. We owe part of our national soul to those who came before us on this soil."

The Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Senecas and the Tuscaroras, created the Six Nations Confederacy. Together these peoples comprise the oldest living participatory democracy on Earth. Their story, and governance truly based on the consent of the governed, contains a great deal of life-promoting intelligence for those of us not familiar with this area of American history.

[Available as a trade paperback for $15.00 (+ $3 postage) from American Indian Studies Center, 3220 Campbell Hall, UCLA, L.A., CA 90095-1548, it can also be ordered from Bruce Johansen (Dept. Communication, U. Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, 68182) for $15 (+ $2 postage).]