Legitimate Opposition
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Legitimate Opposition
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
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See moreThe first theory of legitimate opposition in fifty years
The first theory of legitimate opposition in fifty years
In political systems defined by legitimate opposition, those who hold power allow their rivals to peacefully challenge and displace them, and those who have lost power do not seek to sabotage the winners. Legitimate opposition came under assault at the American capitol on January 6, 2021, and is menaced by populists and autocrats across the globe.
Alexander Kirshner provides the first sustained theory of legitimate opposition since the Cold War. On the orthodox view, democracy is lost when legitimate opposition is subverted. But efforts to reconcile opposition with democracy fail to identify the value of the frequently imperfect, unfair and inegalitarian real-world practice.
Marshaling a revisionist reconstruction of opposition’s history, Legitimate Opposition provides a new account of opposition’s value fit for the twenty-first century and shows why, given the difficult conditions of political life, legitimate opposition is an achievement worth defending.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Esteemed scholars praise Legitimate Opposition as a vital and insightful work. Nancy L. Rosenblum calls it a forceful spotlight on a neglected political practice. Nadia Urbinati highlights its reminder that democracy requires ongoing legitimate opposition and political conflict. Russell Muirhead describes it as the definitive, realistic, yet aspirational account. Corey Brettschneider points to Kirshner’s subtle and systematic analysis of opposition’s vulnerabilities within democracy.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780300243468
Publisher: Yale University Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 08 November 2022
Country: United States
Imprint: Yale University Press
Audience: General / adult, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Width: 140.0mm
Height: 216.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 296
About the Author
Alexander S. Kirshner is an associate professor of political science at Duke University, where he concentrates on democratic theory. He is the author of A Theory of Militant Democracy.
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