Democracy Critical Concepts In Political Science 4th Vol Set.

Democracy refers both to a political system and a political idea. As a name for a political system, it refers to the fact that the people themselves rule in some sense - indirectly through elected representatives in the modern period. As an idea, it stands for the desire to deepen and extend the ideal of self-government. Arguably, tensions between these two dimensions are part of democracy's flexibility and vibrancy as a concept. The two dimensions can be seen as two sides of the same coin, as democracy must be expressed as an idea before it can be practised.
This new Routledge Major Work, a four-volume collection of classic and cutting-edge scholarship, is built around the importance of the idea of democracy. It contains much material on democratic institutions, procedures and histories, all of which embodies or interprets the idea of democracy in informative or provocative ways. Materials have been chosen which are strong on theory, but which recognize that a key part of theory’s importance lies in its deep engagement with democratic practice. The main areas covered are: