WHAT EXACTLY IS IT?? September 17, 2002 DEMOCRACY?? WHAT EXACTLY IS IT?? September 17, 2002

Opportunities for Mass Participation Democracy -- A Process Opportunities for Mass Participation LOW HIGH Representative (Trustee) Democracy Representative (Delegate) Democracy Participatory Democracy Direct Democracy

Democracy -- The Outcomes Protection of Individual Rights Low (Emphasis on General Welfare) High (Emphasis on Limited Gov’t) Communitarianism Libertarianism

Democracy -- The Models Individual Rights/Limited Gov’t Liberal Democracy I Liberal Democracy II High Mass Participation Low Mass Participation Majoritarian (Radical) Democracy Elite Democracy General Welfare

Democracy: The United States Individual Rights/Limited Gov’t Liberal Democracy I Liberal Democracy II United States High Mass Participation Low Mass Participation Marjoritarian (Radical) Democracy Elite Democracy General Welfare

ASSESSING DEMOCRACY... ASSESSING THE DEMOCRATIC MODEL... completely normative difficult to apply label of “undemocratic” ASSESSING THE PRACTICE OF DEMOCRACY does the practice meet the ideals of the model?

THE CHALLENGE OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY... COMBINING... HIGH LEVELS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR MASS POLITICAL PARTICIPATION STRONG EMPHASIS ON RIGHTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL why might they be difficult to combine?? citizens who participate in the political process are limited in what they can use government for citizens who view themselves primarily as rights-bearing individuals have little incentive to participate in collective decision-making

The American Dilemma What is a “dilemma”? What might the “American” dilemma refer to? What is democracy? What does American democracy look like?