Arguments for Democracy
Kai Spiekermann
London School of Economics
Why should we choose democracy over other forms of government? Traditional defences point to either the intrinsic value of democratic procedures or the superior quality of decisions they produce. I will argue that democracy's value extends beyond these procedural and instrumental justifications. Democracy's distinctive power lies in how it transforms citizen attitudes, which can, under favourable circumstances, catalyse a virtuous cycle of civic development. Recent democratic backsliding raises the question what is interrupting this virtuous cycle.
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