Demarchy Manifesto: For Better Public Policy

by John Burnheim

Overview

Demarchy exploits the possibilities of modern communications to give new role to public discussion. It takes the initiative in formulating policy on each specific problem out of the hands of political parties and into the hands of those most strongly affected by that particular problem. John Burnheim explains why this needs to be done and how it can be done by voluntary initiative without constitutional change.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781845408916
Publisher:	Imprint Academic (Ips)
Publication date:	03/01/2016
Series:	Societas
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	130
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.35(d)

About the Author

John Burnheim was born in Sydney, where he still lives, in 1927. He taught philosophy in the University of Sydney from 1960 to 1990. Is Democracy Possible? (1985) explored the possibilities of democratic alternatives to voting. To Reason Why (2011) is an intellectual autobiography.

Editorial Reviews

'John Burnheim's Demarchy Manifesto isn't just an insightful and deeply pragmatic inquiry into the legitimacy and effectiveness of contemporary representative democracy but also a handbook for citizens looking for a meaningful way to bring new energy and much needed relevance to the way we determine public policy. He puts skin on the bones of what it means to find the public good by arguing for a community-based transfer of policy making from political parties to deliberative councils representative of those most directly affected in the case at hand.'

Hon Geoff Gallop

"The picture of demarchy offered by Burnheim in the book – both the political system and the way of
thinking about politics – is intriguing and worthy of further exploration."

Contemporary Political Theory - Peter Stone