Democracy Without Borders?: Global Challenges to Liberal Democracy

Democracy Without Borders? assesses the worldwide prospects of liberal democracy. In an era of globalization and in an intellectual climate in which the idea of national sovereignty is under assault, Plattner identifies the essential features of modern liberal democracy and offers guidance about what is required to sustain it. This examination comes at a critical moment. After three decades of global advance, liberal democracy today is being challenged from many quarters. Among the reasons why its future looks cloudy is the popular election of candidates hostile to liberalism—in Palestine, Russia, Venezuela, and elsewhere. An investigation of the complex and tension-filled relationship between liberalism and majority rule is at the heart of this essential book. Plattner’s contention is that liberalism needs democracy and that liberal democracy needs the nation-state. He argues that transnational bodies like the European Union cannot overcome their "democratic deficit." Hence he recommends an approach that will enable the United States to promote international cooperation without sacrificing the fundamental elements of national sovereignty or American democracy.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 Introduction Chapter 2 The Triumphs and Travails of Democracy Chapter 3 The Democratic Moment Part 4 The Twin Pillars of Liberal Democracy Chapter 5 The Role of Human Rights Chapter 6 The Links Between Liberalism and Democracy Chapter 7 Why Liberalism became Democratic Part 8 Liberal Democracy and the Nation-State Chapter 9 Globalization and Self-Government Chapter 10 Understanding the European Union Chapter 11 Sovereignty and Democracy Chapter 12 Two Kinds of Internationalism Part 13 Conclusion Chapter 14 The Democratic Moment Revisited

About the Author :
Marc F. Plattner is editor of the Journal of Democracy and vice-president for Research and Studies at the National Endowment for Democracy. He is the coeditor of The Global Resurgence of Democracy and more than a dozen other books. His articles have appeared in Foreign Affairs, The National Interest, Commentaire, and other leading journals both in the United States and abroad.

Review :
Plattner offers helpful insights into democracy....Clearly written, this book ties together various arguments about the future prospects of liberal democracy today. Recommended. Democracy Without Borders? traces a fascinating trajectory of thinking about democratic institutions and their fate in the contemporary world. Marc Plattner is one of the wisest observers of modern democracy in America, and as editor of the Journal of Democracy he has been on top of the academic discourse on this subject. Democracy Without Borders? covers the spectrum from political philosophy to practical policy, and splendidly reveals the depth, breadth, and brilliance of Plattner's insight and analysis. Plattner's book is indispensable for anyone who cares about the fate of democracy in the present era. Marc Plattner is one of the American authors who most strongly merit the attention of European readers. An eloquent defender of the sovereign state, he nonetheless avoids anti-European invective. He offers instead a searching analysis of European integration and its theoreticians, within the context of a most stimulating set of reflections on democracy and its role in world politics. Plattner's book is an insightful reflection on liberalism, the democratic nation-state, and the European Union in relation to global democracy. Cohesive and well-written The most lucid and readable introduction imaginable to the debate over "the democracy project." Plattner's compact volume assembles two decades' worth of essays into a cohesive and well-written investigation of the obstacles facing democracy promotion today and the conditions under which democracy can survive and thrive. Plattner's analysis is measured and clearly articulated. Though not a polemicist—indeed, he goes out of his way to give all sides their due—Plattner does have strong opinions, which are reinforced by his ability to distinguish between facts and real trends on the one hand and superficial theorizing on the other....Plattner's reasoned and basically optimistic argument is particularly important at a moment of confusion about democracy's condition and schadenfreude over the failings of the Bush administration's efforts to bring freedom to the Middle East. Not content merely to comment on European and American politics, Plattner suffuses his approach to the contemporary scene with a depth and subtlety acquired from a long study of political philosophy and political history. . . . The book's outline is clear, the writing is crisp, and the logic and argumentation are elegant and therefore compelling. Laymen, scholars, and policy makers should find this work accessible, persuasive and immensely useful. This book is a lively, incisive tour of democracy's global fortunes, led by the ideal guide. Plattner infuses a rich presentation of key philosophical debates about contemporary democracy with bracing injections of real-life dilemmas and dangers.