This book argues that the backsliding or stagnation of democracy should be interpreted in a wider perspective on irregular movements towards and away from contemporary liberal democracy. This a perspective couched by a metaphor, namely the 'pendulum of democracy', which the author has constructed to suggest that democratic regimes may swing between a democratic end (fully developed liberal democracy) and a semi-authoritarian end (competitive authoritarianism). The pendulum does not have a predictable frequency. Democratization may lead to irregular movements back and forth. It is easier to analyze such movements of the pendulum when democracy is not consolidated yet (for instance, in the three post-Yugoslav political regimes mentioned above), as democratic institutions and processes are not yet stable. For this reason, this book analyses the swing of unconsolidated democracy away from the democratic end in the cases of today’s Serbia and Montenegro and the swing back towards liberal democracy in the case of North Macedonia which - until 2017 - had been developing into a competitive authoritarian regime, but then embarked on the road to democratic recovery.

Disgusted by Political Fighting? Frustrated by the Inertia of Congress? We, the People, together, can redirect politics. This book points out the error of Single Congressional Seat Districts, the usurpation of power by political parties, and outlines what has to be done to get back to the original founders' vision of Congress.Political parties have always been about power and never about democracy. Politicians entice you with vague benefits and scare you with potential losses. Political parties are not about fixing problems, they are about getting your vote. On the other hand, Congress should be about fixing problems. We must not confuse politics with governance. We need to invest our votes in representatives instead of political parties.There is a path back to proportional representation so that those of us caught between two powerful parties can have a voice. You don't have to accept that only two choices are possible, but we can't just keep waiting for things to get better. We must find our voices and make it clear that Washington's business as usual isn't good enough!

Mass protest movements in disparate places such as Greece, Argentina, and the United States ultimately share an agenda—to raise the question of what democracy should mean. These horizontalist movements, including Occupy, exercise and claim participatory democracy as the ground of revolutionary social change today. Written by two international activist intellectuals and based on extensive interviews with movement participants in Spain, Venezuela, Argentina, across the United States, and elsewhere, this book is an expansive portrait of the assemblies, direct democracy forums, and organizational forms championed by the new movements, as well as an analytical history of direct and participatory democracy from ancient Athens to Zuccotti Park. The new movements put forward the idea that liberal democracy is not democratic, nor was it ever.

In this astute and thought-provoking book, Butler explores the concept of democracy and the ways in which it can be either constructive or destructive. Using examples from history and current events, he highlights the challenges that democracies face and provides readers with a clear understanding of the principles that are essential for the establishment of a successful and just democracy. Whether you're a student of political science or simply a concerned citizen, this book is a must-read. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Swift explores how democracy is constricted and deformed by economic power-brokers and a self-serving political class from Birmingham to Bangalore. Including chapter-length discussions of topics such as eco-democracy, democratizing the economy, and democracy in the southern hemisphere, the book is also a guide to the rich diversity of forms of elected government and contains practical ideas for empowering today's voters around the world.

Examining the current state of democracy in the United States, 'The Unheavenly Chorus' looks at the political participation of individual citizens - alongside the political advocacy of thousands of organized interests - in order to demonstrate that American democracy is marred by ingrained and persistent class-based inequality.