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Was democracy invented by the Greeks to replace the anarchy and imperial rule characteristic of earlier Near Eastern societies? Although what was explicitly borrowed from antiquity by modern political thinkers looks Athenian, there was democracy before the polis. Egyptian and Mesopotamian politics relied on public debate and detailed voting procedures; countless assemblies convened at the thresholds of public buildings or city gates; disputed trials were submitted to superior courts; countervailing powers reminded leaders that justice was their responsibility. This was not full democracy, but the Greek version was not perfect either. In this article, "archeopolitics" is used to contrast this efficient form of pluralistic regime ("hypodemocracy") with truly egalitarian ones ("hyperdemocracies") and group interests' polyarchies.

This article explores the relationship between democracy & social democracy from the late nineteenth century through to the present. It discusses the emergence of different concepts of democracy within European social democracy at different times during this period & attempts to locate key junctures in the relationship between those two concepts. After investigating the strong links between radical democracy & social democracy in the second half of the nineteenth century, it goes on to argue that Marxism, through an anti-pluralist legacy which social democratic reformists & revisionists tried hard to overcome after 1900, considerably influenced social democracy's perception of democracy. Yet a fundamental ambiguity of social democracy towards democracy was only overcome under the conditions of the Cold War & the long economic boom after 1945. In the 'golden age' of social democracy between the 1940s & the 1960s, Social Democrats fully endorsed the politics of pluralist democracy. From the 1970s onwards, when the 'social democratic consensus' came under intense criticism from the political Right, the commitment of social democracy to democracy remained one of the few uncontentious areas, & the renaissance of social democratic fortunes in the 1990s has tended to focus on democracy as a key element of 'new' social democracy in Europe. [Copyright 2002 Sage Publications Ltd.]

The current populist challenges in western liberal democracies should not be seen as evidence of their decline, but as a constituent part. The history of democracy shows us that such challenges enable democracy's growth and evolution. As these modern conflicts and crises see populists seek to capitalise on the discontent of the people, it is evident that much of the conflict comes from tensions between the rule of law and majority rule. Elites seeking to preserve the liberal democratic system need to make their arguments in defence of the rule of law and democratic values, rather than assuming them to be self-evident. We should only become concerned over the fate of liberal democracy when the conflict moves from dialogue into physical violence, or as in Hungary, where the executive has dismantled counter-majoritarian checks. It is only then that the departure from democracy truly begins.

Cover -- Table of Contents -- Preface and Acknowledgments -- Foreword -- Chapter 1 Elitist Democracy, Civic Disengagement, and Citizen Politics in the United States -- Chapter 2 Elitist Democracy, Civic Disengagement, and Citizen Politics in Brazil -- Chapter 3 Participatory Democracy in Theory -- Chapter 4 Participatory Democracy in Practice-Brazil's Workers' Party and the Participatory Budget -- Chapter 5 The Orçamento Participativo in Betim, Minas Gerais -- Chapter 6 Examining the Claims of Proponents of the Participatory Budget -- Chapter 7 Examining the Claims of Critics of the Participatory Budget -- Chapter 8 Administering the Participatory Budget-Ideology and Dedication -- Conclusion: Participatory Democracy versus Elitist Democracy-Lessons from Brazil -- Notes -- Annex 1 Questionnaire for Delegates and Councilors of the Participatory Budget, 1998 -- Annex 2 Characteristics of 1998 OP Delegates (Respondents) in Betim and Belo Horizonte -- Bibliography -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- G -- H -- I -- J -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W.

A review article on books by (1) John B. Judis, The Paradox of American Democracy: Elites, Special Interests and the Betrayal of Public Trust (New York: Pantheon Books, 2000); (2) Michael Zweig, The Working Class Majority: America's Best Kept Secret (London, Ithaca, NY: Cornell U Press, 2000); & (3) Ruy Teixeira & Joel Rogers, America's Forgotten Majority: Why the White Working Class Still Matters (New York: Basic Books, 2000). As America inaugurates its 43rd president, it enters a period of reflection. The danger is that all emphasis on voting procedure will silence a longstanding & ultimately more significant criticism of US democracy & its policy of democracy promotion. The separation of economics from politics & the promotion of so-called "market democracy" does a disservice to the wider democratic project & is potentially self-defeating. This article reviews three books to argue that the declining international reputation of the US can be traced to its own democratic shortcomings. It explores the possibility of a popular working-class movement to address these failings & examines the implication this may have on the liberal international order. Adapted from the source document.

Cover -- Half Title -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Foreword -- Introduction -- Chapter 1: Democracy and Government -- 1. Spain and South Korea Have Significant Challenges in Their Transitions to Full Democracies -- 2. Colombia's Democratization Process Is Hindered by Anti-Narcotics Efforts -- 3. Democracy in Thailand Is Increasingly Under Strain by Internal Forces -- 4. Democratization in the Middle East Is Hindered by Conflict -- 5. Malaysia's Democracy Suffers from Abuses of Power -- 6. Ghana's Elections Provide Lessons for Democratization -- Periodical Bibliography -- Chapter 2: Democracy and Equality -- 1. Only International Pressure Will Prompt Burma to Democratize -- 2. South Africa Must Overcome Institutional Obstacles to Democratic Equality -- 3. Eastern European Equality Advocates Are Decreasing in Numbers and Efficacy -- 4. Israel Struggles to Provide Equality for Minority Groups -- 5. North Korea Ignores Human Rights and Democracy -- Periodical Bibliography -- Chapter 3: Democracy and Economics -- 1. Sri Lanka Faces Economic Implications While Demilitarizing and Expanding Democracy -- 2. India's Political Struggles Undermine Its Middle Class -- 3. Zimbabwe Cannot Fully Democratize Until There Is Equal Distribution of Land and Resources -- 4. Governments Must Maintain Capitalism to Preserve Democracy -- 5. The Persian Gulf States Enjoy Free Market Capitalism Without Democracy -- 6. Malaysia's Citizens Demand Democracy with Development -- Periodical Bibliography -- Chapter 4: Democracy and International Relations -- 1. The United States Should Lead by Example to Promote Democracy Around the World -- 2. Afghanistan Needs Security Before It Can Have Democracy -- 3. Pakistan's Democratic Transition Affects Its Relationship with the West -- 4. Nepal's Democracy Needs Support from the International Community