Democracy and Power: Essays in Political Theory

Bringing together writings on democracy from the acclaimed political thinker, Brian Barry, this volume ranges from an extended essay on the justification for democratic procedures to a critical discussion of the claim that democracy inevitably produces too much inflation. Two influential articles on democracy in divided societies are also included. The pieces devoted to the study of power seek to show how analytical issues have significant implications for questions of substance such as how power is distributed within a society and how a political unit should decide whether or not to join some larger unit. Written in an accessible style which does not presuppose any knowledge of the field, this book should prove indispensable to students as well as for the enthusiast with an interest in the central problems of political theory.