Addressing the peculiar seesaw of cynicism and idealism that characterizes American politics, Steven Bilakovics provocatively suggests that our current anti-political prejudices flow not from some extra-political source (such as neoliberal economics or fundamentalist religion) but from the spirit of democracy itself. Democracy without Politics is a masterful reworking of Tocqueville's theses concerning equality, freedom, and democratic openness. It illuminates, in a radically original way, our ongoing love affair with democratic ideals and our growing impatience with--even contempt for--democratic politics. A must-read. -- Dana Villa, University of Notre Dame Many people today are cynical about democratic politics. Could democracy itself be partly to blame? That is the provocative suggestion of Steven Bilakovics's fascinating new book on democracy in America. Bilakovics begins where Tocqueville left off, tracing the internal logic of democratic thought and demonstrating its manifestations in everyday life. He argues that we often misunderstand the virtues of our own political culture, thinking of democracy simply as a form of 'openness' and thereby leading ourselves to disappointment and disillusionment. The book as a whole makes a powerful case against democratic complacency. -- Bryan Garsten, Yale University In this extended meditation, Steven Bilakovics takes Tocqueville as his guide to the pathologies of democracy in modern America. Following Tocqueville, he dares to suggest that what troubles us most about democratic political life reflects, not non-democratic distortions, but rather the inexorable logic of the core commitment to equality. This book will enlighten and provoke everyone interested in the political sociology of American democracy. -- William A. Galston, The Brookings Institution
Steven Bilakovics is a Postdoctoral Associate in Political Science at Yale University.
Addressing the peculiar seesaw of cynicism and idealism that
characterizes American politics, Steven Bilakovics provocatively
suggests that our current anti-political prejudices flow not from
some extra-political source (such as neoliberal economics or
fundamentalist religion) but from the spirit of democracy itself.
Democracy without Politics is a masterful reworking of
Tocqueville's theses concerning equality, freedom, and democratic
openness. It illuminates, in a radically original way, our ongoing
love affair with democratic ideals and our growing impatience
with--even contempt for--democratic politics. A must-read.
*Dana Villa, University of Notre Dame*
Many people today are cynical about democratic politics. Could
democracy itself be partly to blame? That is the provocative
suggestion of Steven Bilakovics's fascinating new book on democracy
in America. Bilakovics begins where Tocqueville left off, tracing
the internal logic of democratic thought and demonstrating its
manifestations in everyday life. He argues that we often
misunderstand the virtues of our own political culture, thinking of
democracy simply as a form of 'openness' and thereby leading
ourselves to disappointment and disillusionment. The book as a
whole makes a powerful case against democratic complacency.
*Bryan Garsten, Yale University*
In this extended meditation, Steven Bilakovics takes Tocqueville as
his guide to the pathologies of democracy in modern America.
Following Tocqueville, he dares to suggest that what troubles us
most about democratic political life reflects, not non-democratic
distortions, but rather the inexorable logic of the core commitment
to equality. This book will enlighten and provoke everyone
interested in the political sociology of American democracy.
*William A. Galston, The Brookings Institution*
Democracy without Politics is an ambitious, important book. It
ropes together a detailed reinterpretation of Alexis de
Tocqueville's political thought with a diagnosis of the cynicism
and idealism found in American democracy and a critique of recent
democratic theory's fascination with radical openness and
indeterminacy… Political theorists and other scholars will find
here a great many important insights and fascinating paths of
research. Well written and filled with fascinating examples and
analyses of recent political trends, the book should contribute a
great deal to studies of Tocqueville, contemporary democratic
theory, the analysis of political culture, and critical studies of
U.S. politics.
*Choice*
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