Political Science 1020E Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Robert A. Dahl, Liberal Democracy, Polyarchy

• School: Western University
• Department: Political Science
• Course: Political Science 1020E
• Professor: Nigmendra Narain

Document Summary

Between elections, governments do care about popularity. Though not evenly the (cid:858)politi(cid:272)al busi(cid:374)ess cy(cid:272)le(cid:859) People have various ways to influence government decision making interest groups, social movements, media. Anybody can stand for office, subject to free and equal vote. Democratic majorities supposed to reflect public interest or popular will. Legal-rational: we accept the rules of democracy, and so we accept one group governing until we can toss them out. Really, temporary majorities giving authority to rule to competitive minorities. Most of our decisions are personal, private. Democracy is a procedure for making collective, public decisions all are affected, so all should have a voice and some degree of influence. How large or small is this collective sphere: linked to role of state question, radical or rousseauian position, o(cid:272)ial de(cid:373)o(cid:272)rati(cid:272) or (cid:858)e(cid:272)o(cid:374)o(cid:373)i(cid:272) de(cid:373)o(cid:272)ra(cid:272)y(cid:859) positio(cid:374, liberal or libertarian position. E(cid:374): (cid:862)people e(cid:448)ery(cid:449)here (cid:373)ay ha(cid:448)e reaso(cid:374) to see it as (cid:448)alua(cid:271)le(cid:863) Democracy as having intrinsic, instrumental, and constructive value.