How Democratic is the American Constitution? Second Edition By Robert Alan Dahl, Professor Robert A. Dahl ISBN: 9780300095241 ASIN: B004I8TSOY ASIN: B00A2M0DQ2 Published: 2003 Number of Pages: 240 Edition: 2nd Binding: Paperback

Pricing & Availability: Additional Details: Product Type: Book Publisher: Yale University Press Description: In this provocative book, one of our most eminent political scientists poses the question, "Why should Americans uphold their constitution?" The vast majority of Americans venerate the Constitution and the democratic principles it embodies, but many also worry that the United States has fallen behind other nations on crucial issues, including economic equality, racial integration, and women's rights. Robert Dahl explores this vital tension between the Americans' belief in the legitimacy of their constitution and their belief in the principles of democracy. Dahl starts with the assumption that the legitimacy of the American Constitution derives solely from its utility as an instrument of democratic governance. Dahl demonstrates that, due to the context in which it was conceived, our constitution came to incorporate significant antidemocratic elements. Because the Framers of the Constitution had no relevant example of a democratic political system on which to model the American government, many defining aspects of our political system were implemented as a result of short-sightedness or last-minute compromise. Dahl highlights those elements of the American system that are most unusual and potentially antidemocratic: the federal system, the bicameral legislature, judicial review, presidentialism, and the electoral college system. The political system that emerged from the world's first great democratic experiment is unique-no other well-established democracy has copied it. How does the American constitutional system function in comparison to other democratic systems? How could our political system be altered to achieve more democratic ends? To what extent did the Framers of the Constitution build features into our political system that militate against significant democratic reform? Refusing to accept the status of the American Constitution as a sacred text, Dahl challenges us all to think critically about the origins of our political system and to consider the opportunities for creating a more democratic society.

Library of Congress Control Number
   - LC control Number:  2003106483
   - LC control Number: 2003106483

National Bibliography Number: GBA3-V6998

International Standard Book Number: 0300095244: 0300095244 (pbk.)

Geographic Area Code: n-us---

Library of Congress Call Number
   - Classification number: KF4550
   - Item number: . D34 2003
   - Item number: .D34 2003

Dewey Decimal Classification Number
   - Edition number: 21
   - Classification number: 342.7302

Main Entry - Personal Name
   - Personal name: Dahl, Robert Alan,
   - Dates associated with a name: 1915-

Title Statement
   - Title: How democratic is the American Constitution? /
   - Statement of responsibility, etc.: Robert A. Dahl
   - Statement of responsibility, etc.: Robert A. Dahl.

Edition Statement: 2nd ed: 2nd ed.

Publication, Distribution, etc. (Imprint)
   - Place of publication, distribution, etc.: London :
   - Place of publication, distribution, etc.: New Haven, Conn. :
   - Place of publication, distribution, etc.: New Haven, Conn. ;
   - Name of publisher, distribution, etc.: Yale Nota Bene,
   - Name of publisher, distribution, etc.: Yale University Press
   - Name of publisher, distribution, etc.: Yale University Press,
   - Date of publication, distribution, etc.: 2003
   - Date of publication, distribution, etc.: 2003.

Physical Description
   - Extent: x, 224 p. :
   - Other physical details: ill. ;
   - Dimensions: 20 cm
   - Dimensions: 20 cm.

Series Statement/Added Entry - Title: Castle lectures in ethics, politics, and economics: Castle lectures in ethics, politics, and economics.: The Castle lectures in ethics, politics, and economics: The Castle lectures in ethics, politics, and economics.: Yale nota bene: Yale Nota bene.

Series Statement: Castle lectures in ethics, politics, and economics: The Castle lectures in ethics, politics, and economics: The Castle lectures in ethics, politics, and economics.: Yale Nota bene

General Note: Previous ed.: New Haven, Conn.; London: Yale University Press, 2001: Previous ed.: New Haven, Conn.; London: Yale University Press, 2001.

Bibliography, etc. Note
   - Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (p. [195]-216) and index.
   - Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (p. [215]-216) and index
   - Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (p. [215]-216) and index.

Formatted Contents Note: Introduction: fundamental questions -- What the framers couldn't know -- The Constitution as a model: an American illusion -- Electing the president -- How well does the constitutional system perform? -- Why not a more democratic constitution? -- Some reflections on the prospects for a more democratic constitution -- Further reflections: changing the unwritten constitution -- Appendix A: on the terms "democracy" and "republic" -- Appendix B: tables and figures.

Subject Added Entry - Corporate Name
   - Corporate name or jurisdiction name as entry element: United States.
   - Title of a work: Constitution
   - Title of a work: Constitution.

Subject Added Entry - Topical Term
   - Topical term or geographic name entry element: Constitutional history
   - Topical term or geographic name entry element: Constitutional law
   - Topical term or geographic name entry element: Democracy
   - Geographic subdivision: United States
   - Geographic subdivision: United States.

Series Added Entry - Uniform Title
   - Uniform title: Castle lectures in ethics, politics, and economics
   - Uniform title: Castle lectures in ethics, politics, and economics.
   - Uniform title: Yale Nota bene.