Reason, Value Theory, and the Theory of Democracy

No serious consideration of the theory of democracy needs explanation or apology today. The scope and limitations of the present treatment of the subject, however, should be made clear at the outset. The object of this article is to deal with the political philosophy of democracy, or, more precisely, with attempts to ground democratic doctrine on first principles of right. Clearly this does not constitute a complete treatment of democratic theory. Such a treatment would have to deal, inter alia, with the practical operation of democratic processes under varying conditions. Probably the bulk of any full-length discussion of the theory of democracy should be devoted to such matters. Yet, essential though these considerations are, the problem with which this paper deals is of fundamental importance. For, in general, it may be said of all the "practical" arguments about democracy that whatever validity they have must depend upon some theory of ethics, upon some assumption as to the things that are valuable in this world. In other words, I shall not here concern myself with arguments that in practice democracy is less objectionable than other forms of government, because I feel the inadequacy of such arguments considered by themselves

Democracy · Democratic Theory · Doctrine · Economics · Epistemology · Law and economics · Object (grammar · Political philosophy · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Scope (computer science · Sociology · Subject (documents · Value (mathematics · Computer Science · Critical Theory and Philosophy · Law · Mathematics · Philosophical Ethics and Theory · Philosophy · Political Philosophy and Ethics

• Goals for Political Science

  Open Access•James W Fesler, Louis Hartz et al.•American Political Science Review•1951

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• Beyond Relativism in Political Theory

  Open Access•Arnold Brecht•American Political Science Review•1947

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• Theory of the Democratic State

  Marie Collins Swabey•Theory of the Democratic State•1937

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• No Compromise

  Open Access•Jacques Barzun•Political Science Quarterly•1940

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• The Coming American Fascism

  Léger Léger•International Affairs•1936

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• The Decline of Liberalism as an Ideology. With Particular Reference to German Politico-Legal Thought

  F A V Hayek, F A Von Hayek et al.•Economica•1944

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• The Lasting Elements of Individualism

  Sigmund Neumann, William Ernest Hocking•American Sociological Review•1938

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• Reflections on the History of Ideas

  Arthur O Lovejoy•Journal of the History of Ideas•1940

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