Intelligent Democracy: Answering the New Democratic Scepticism

— —

Jonathan Benson (Hallsworth Research Fellow, Hallsworth Research Fellow, University of Manchester)

Intelligent Democracy

Answering the New Democratic Scepticism

Jonathan Benson (Hallsworth Research Fellow, Hallsworth Research Fellow, University of Manchester)

$165.95

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Oxford University Press Inc
13 October 2024

Social & political philosophy; Political science & theory; Elections & referenda

Series: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

Whether due to Donald Trump, Brexit, or the rise of populism, many are increasingly questioning the value of democracy. Complaints of ignorant voters, irrational public debate, and disconnected politicians have led some to suggest that democracies are destined to make bad decisions, and to propose alternatives. In Intelligent Democracy, political theorist Jonathan Benson rejects this new democratic scepticism. He argues that democracies can make effective use of knowledge, engage in experimentation, utilise diversity, and motivate decisions towards the common good-and that they can do all these things better than their rivals. Benson pleads that we value democracy, not only because it treats us all equally, but because it is intelligent. At the core of the book is the first systemic account of democracy's epistemic value. While it is common to focus on the faults of any one democratic body, Benson argues that democracy represents a much broader network of institutions which work together to produce a system which is more intelligent than any of its parts. The book examines how elections, deliberative assemblies, random sortition, and the open public sphere can be best connected, and offers innovative new proposals for improving our democratic systems. Through this approach, Benson shows that democracy is superior to regimes of epistocracy and political meritocracy which aim to empower the knowledgeable and exclude the ignorant, as well as proposals for granting greater powers to free markets or private companies. Drawing on work from political science, philosophy, and economics, Intelligent Democracy produces a unique epistemic justification of democratic politics and a robust answer to its critics.

By: Jonathan Benson (Hallsworth Research Fellow Hallsworth Research Fellow University of Manchester)
Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 240mm, Width: 162mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 549g
ISBN: 9780197767283
ISBN 10: 0197767281
Series: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 13 October 2024
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Jonathan Benson is a Hallsworth Research Fellow at The University of Manchester. His research centers around political and democratic theory and has a strong connection to the interdisciplinary tradition of politics, philosophy, and economics. He has written widely on contemporary challenges to democracy, the role and limits of markets, as well as issues of political knowledge and communication. Benson received a PhD in Politics from The University of Manchester and previously taught at King's College London and Utrecht University.

Reviews for Intelligent Democracy: Answering the New Democratic Scepticism

Benson starts his analysis with an examination of the epistemic shortcomings of regular elections and free markets, given that these 'have become the dominant institutions of liberal democratic societies,' and many democratic sceptics believe that the free market is the best determinant of the desires and needs of any populace...Benson takes a broad view of democracy, emphasizing that it 'in practice extends far beyond any one body or institution'. Thus, the epistemic abilities of democracy are not housed in any one institution. * Guy Lancaster, Marx and Philosophy Review of Books *