One of the first pieces we read together in my Democratic Theory class is Michael Laurence’s Democratic Theory bibliography (paywalled version here; email me for a PDF copy).
I learn something new each time I read it but walk away often overwhelmed by the number of democratic theories and unclear about the connections among them. Here’s my stab at putting them in some sort of (chrono)logical order, along with their key insights. Below that, I wonder what it would look like to take all of these theories seriously enough to build a single, consolidated democratic theory. Buckle up:
Could a theory of democracy be capacious enough to include the core insights from each of these theories, without becoming so unwieldy as to be unuseful? Working backwards from the bottom of this chart up, and at the other Dr. Hand’s suggestion doing so myself first before asking ChatGPT, a consolidated democratic theory would:
Work just as well to describe democracy in small associations and international organizations, in addition to representative democracy in nation-states
Take seriously the critical perspective that consensus masks domination and that existing structures are expressions of power, without giving up on reasoned deliberation as a democratic means and end
Balance individual liberty and justice with the understanding that the common good is the product of communal life, which often constrains liberty
Take the need for participation seriously, too, while understanding that this participation can come from individuals, from interest groups that keep each other in check, or sometimes just from elites from whom people choose leaders
Consider democracy as an ongoing process in addition to a set of democratic institutions (e.g. frequent and fair elections) and individual protections (e.g. freedom of speech and conscience)
Make room for a variety of negotiated relationships between the public sphere and markets, and account for the supportive or destructive effects of both on each other
Build up from core democratic and republican principles, including popular sovereignty, individual rights and liberties, the rule of law, and mechanisms to prevent the concentration of power (e.g. checks and balances)
Make clear the relationship among democratic institutions, democratic capabilities, and democratic virtues
Consider and account for the dual dangers of tyranny by the few and tyranny by the majority
Take a clear perspective on human nature, and toward its fixedness versus malleability
ChatGPT tells me that the most robust attempt at this kind of synthesis is David Held's Models of Democracy (3rd edition 2006).
Off to the library,
Prof. Hand
