Oxford University political theorist Stein Ringen offers a thought-provoking meditation on the art of democratic rule: how does a government persuade the people to accept its authority? Every government must make unpopular demands of its citizens, from levying taxes to enforcing laws and monitoring compliance to regulations. The challenge, Ringen argues, is that power is not enough; the populace must also be willing to be led. Ringen addresses this political conundrum unabashedly, using the United States and Britain as his prime examples, providing sharp opinions and cogent analyses on how the culture of national obedience is created and nurtured. He explores the paths leaders must choose if they wish to govern by authority rather than power, or, as the philosopher Immanuel Kant put it, to “maintain order in a nation of devils.”
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Every government must make unpopular demands of its citizens, from levying taxes to enforcing laws and monitoring compliance to regulations. The challenge, the author argues, is that power is not enough; the populace must also be willing to be led. He addresses this political conundrum unabashedly, using the US and Britain as his prime examples.
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“This is a terrific book that I can imagine readers turning back to again and again.  It is a major contribution to the literature of political science. One of Ringen's greatest accomplishments here is that he reminds readers why this field was interesting in the first place."—Alan Wolfe, Boston College
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Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780300193190
Publisert
2013-09-24
Utgiver
Vendor
Yale University Press
Vekt
522 gr
Høyde
235 mm
Bredde
156 mm
Dybde
24 mm
Aldersnivå
G, 01
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
264

Forfatter

Biographical note

Stein Ringen is professor emeritus of sociology and social policy at Oxford University. He lives in London.