On Democracy

Rating:
Summary: A quick and easy read
Review: This is a good book.

However, the author's bias shows through on several topics. For example, even though it is obvious that he clearly believes a proportional electoral system is superior to a first past the pole system, he never states that is his belief. He presents an incomplete list of goods and bads associated with both systems. But, neither list is exhaustive. The reader, as a result, is left to figure out what he left off the list and wondering why it was left off the list.

Otherwise, this is a good book if you want a quick and easy read on democracy.

Rating:
Summary: "Aristotle's Politics" for everyone and for our times
Review: Tremendous breadth and perspective on the major political dilemmas of our time from a wise scholar of the academy and citizen of the world. Everyone from experts to laypersons can enjoy, understand, and gain from Dahl's insights and characterizations regarding the fundamental political dilemmas of our time. Rarely, does such a combination of scholarly erudition and simple prose ever come along. I am greatful to Robert Dahl for contributing and elevating political discourse here and around the world with this book. Please read it if you are remotely interested in the politics of any country and the politics of the world. You can probably read it in one long sitting.

On another level, this book will forever remain the textual staple of the "Introduction to Comparative Government Courses" I teach.

This review does not mean that I agree with Dahl on all his positions it just means that I think his book is important.

This book is a provocative, informative, prudent, understated, and insightful explanation of the world's post-Soviet political era. (In this respect, Dahl's book is much better than Francis Fukuyama's ridiculously overstated, criminially impractical, triumphantly-and-arrogantly-toned treatise on "the end of the history." And guess what? Dahl's book is much shorter.)

Rating:
Summary: Dry but accurate
Review: _On Democracy_ is not a very joyful book to read. It is rather dry and doesn't seem to want to create much controversy in the things it says. However, it is mostly accurate and does a fairly good job of laying out the basics (and I mean the very basics) of democratic theory, as well as mapping a few of the different ways in which democracy is actually practiced in various countries. If you are relatively familiar with this sort of material, this book will not provide you with any new insights. But for someone just starting to examine the nature of political beliefs, I can imagine that this may be helpful. If nothing else, it will probably be handy as a sort of quick reference book.

Rating:
Summary: Dry but accurate
Review: _On Democracy_ is not a very joyful book to read. It is rather dry and doesn't seem to want to create much controversy in the things it says. However, it is mostly accurate and does a fairly good job of laying out the basics (and I mean the very basics) of democratic theory, as well as mapping a few of the different ways in which democracy is actually practiced in various countries. If you are relatively familiar with this sort of material, this book will not provide you with any new insights. But for someone just starting to examine the nature of political beliefs, I can imagine that this may be helpful. If nothing else, it will probably be handy as a sort of quick reference book.