On political equality

Resource Information

The work On political equality represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Boston University Libraries. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

On political equality

Statement of responsibility

Robert A. Dahl

Creator

• Dahl, Robert A., 1915-2014

Contributor

• JSTOR

Provider

• JSTOR

Subject

• Democracy
• Démocratie
• Electronic resources
• Equality
• Equality
• Gelijkheid
• Democracy
• POLITICAL SCIENCE -- General
• POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Political Freedom & Security | Civil Rights
• POLITICAL SCIENCE -- Political Freedom & Security | Human Rights
• Politieke filosofie
• Inégalité sociale

Language

eng

Summary

Robert Dahl, one of the world's most influential and respected political scientists, has spent a lifetime exploring the institutions and practices of democracy in such landmark books as "Who Governs?", "On Democracy", and "How Democratic Is the American Constitution?" Here, Dahl looks at the fundamental issue of equality and how and why governments have fallen short of their democratic ideals. At the centre of the book is the question of whether the goal of political equality is so far beyond our human limits that it should be abandoned in favour of more attainable ends, or if there are ways to realistically address and reduce inequities. Though complete equality is unattainable, Dahl argues that strides toward that ideal are both desirable and feasible. He shows the remarkable shift in recent centuries toward democracy and political equality the world over. He explores the growth of democratic institutions, the expansion of citizenship, and the various obstacles that stand in the way of gains in political equality. Dahl also looks at the motives, particularly those of emotion and reason, that play such a crucial role in the struggle for equality. In conclusion, Dahl assesses the contemporary political landscape in the United States. He looks at the likelihood of political inequality increasing, and poses one scenario in which Americans grow more unequal in their influence over their government. The counter scenario foresees a cultural shift in which citizens, rejecting what Dahl calls 'competitive consumerism', invest time and energy in civic action and work to reduce the inequality that now exists among Americans

Cataloging source

N$T

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

index present

LC call number

JC423

LC item number

.D2498 2006eb

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

• dictionaries
• bibliography