Overview

"In this major new work, Dominique Schnapper continues her investigation into changes in contemporary democracy. Although she concentrates on the French example, The Democratic Spirit of Law concerns all democratic societies. Schnapper warns against the danger of corrupting the ""principles,"" as defined by Montesquieu, on which democracy is based. If democracy becomes ""extreme,"" all its founding principles risk being corrupted. Respect for institutions is necessary for freedom to be effective. Furthermore, if democrats cease to distinguish between facts and values, religion and politics, politics and the judiciary, knowledge and opinion, and knowledge and intuition, they will sink into absolute relativism or a nihilism that threatens the very values on which democratic society is based. By pointing out the danger of corruption inherent in the democratic promise of freedom, equality, and happiness, the author provides intellectual weapons not only to understand, but also to defend democracy, the only system in history, despite its limits and failures, that has humanely organized human societies. Democracy's future depends on citizens' preservation of the founding spirit of the democratic order: recognition of others, and free, reasonable, and controlled criticism of legitimate institutions."

Full Product Details

Author:   Dominique Schnapper ,  Mark Lilla
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Inc
Imprint:   Routledge
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.80cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.385kg
ISBN:  

9781412862523

ISBN 10:   1412862523
Pages:   206
Publication Date:   30 January 2016
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Reviews

With DS objectivity and rigor provides a clear analysis of the situation of our democracy today. --revue des francs-maCons One concern is perhaps the expression of the malaise that crosses French society. --Serge Audier, Le Monde Neither laugh nor cry, but understanding is exactly what DS accomplishes, book after book, and that's why his thinking is so precious. --Alain Policar, www.nonfiction.fr Democracy is fragile, it should be protected from itself. --GErard Moatti, Les Echos A reflection that, without a doubt, will attract the attention of Canadian readers. --Revue canadienne de science politique A fascinating book and accessible to all readers wishing to understand the world in which we live and in which we participate. --Acropolis Without catastrophism but with a clear demonstration of scholarly rigor DS reminds us here that democracy is fragile and cannot be protected from itself, by itself i.e., from its citizens. --Marie Liesse Lecerf, Etudes Neither laugh nor cry, but understanding is exactly what DS accomplishes, book after book, and that's why his thinking is so precious. --Alain Policar, www.nonfiction.fr With DS objectivity and rigor provides a clear analysis of the situation of our democracy today. --revue des francs-maCons A reflection that, without a doubt, will attract the attention of Canadian readers. --Revue canadienne de science politique A fascinating book and accessible to all readers wishing to understand the world in which we live and in which we participate. --Acropolis An insightful, patient and steadfast exercise in disassembling the concept of democracy into its elements and in showing that they are partly illusions. An in-depth analysis of how we stress democracy by asking it too much. --Raffaele Simone, Roma Tre University The Democratic Spirit of Law is the culmination of an ambitious sociological project rich with civic and philosophical import...Eschewing reactionary pathos and progressivist illusions, Schnapper brings wisdom and moderation to bear on our democratic discontents. --Daniel J. Mahoney, Assumption College An insightful, patient and steadfast exercise in disassembling the concept of democracy into its elements and in showing that they are partly illusions. An in-depth analysis of how we stress democracy by asking it too much. --Raffaele Simone, Roma Tre University, Rome Reviews on the French Edition: Without catastrophism but with a clear demonstration of scholarly rigor DS reminds us here that democracy is fragile and cannot be protected from itself, by itself i.e., from its citizens. --Marie Liesse Lecerf, Etudes Neither laugh nor cry, but understanding is exactly what DS accomplishes, book after book, and that's why his thinking is so precious. --Alain Policar, www.nonfiction.fr With DS objectivity and rigor provides a clear analysis of the situation of our democracy today. --revue des francs-maCons A reflection that, without a doubt, will attract the attention of Canadian readers. --Revue canadienne de science politique A fascinating book and accessible to all readers wishing to understand the world in which we live and in which we participate. --Acropolis An insightful, patient and steadfast exercise in disassembling the concept of democracy into its elements and in showing that they are partly illusions. An in-depth analysis of how we stress democracy by asking it too much. --Raffaele Simone, Roma Tre University The Democratic Spirit of Law is the culmination of an ambitious sociological project rich with civic and philosophical import...Eschewing reactionary pathos and progressivist illusions, Schnapper brings wisdom and moderation to bear on our democratic discontents. --Daniel J. Mahoney, Assumption College An insightful, patient and steadfast exercise in disassembling the concept of democracy into its elements and in showing that they are partly illusions. An in-depth analysis of how we stress democracy by asking it too much. --Raffaele Simone, Roma Tre University, Rome Reviews on the French Edition: Without catastrophism but with a clear demonstration of scholarly rigor DS reminds us here that democracy is fragile and cannot be protected from itself, by itself i.e., from its citizens. --Marie Liesse Lecerf, Etudes Neither laugh nor cry, but understanding is exactly what DS accomplishes, book after book, and that's why his thinking is so precious. --Alain Policar, www.nonfiction.fr With DS objectivity and rigor provides a clear analysis of the situation of our democracy today. --revue des francs-maCons A reflection that, without a doubt, will attract the attention of Canadian readers. --Revue canadienne de science politique A fascinating book and accessible to all readers wishing to understand the world in which we live and in which we participate. --Acropolis An insightful, patient and steadfast exercise in disassembling the concept of democracy into its elements and in showing that they are partly illusions. An in-depth analysis of how we stress democracy by asking it too much. --Raffaele Simone, Roma Tre University -The Democratic Spirit of Law is the culmination of an ambitious sociological project rich with civic and philosophical import...Eschewing reactionary pathos and progressivist illusions, Schnapper brings wisdom and moderation to bear on our democratic discontents.- --Daniel J. Mahoney, Assumption College -An insightful, patient and steadfast exercise in disassembling the concept of democracy into its elements and in showing that they are partly illusions. An in-depth analysis of how we stress democracy by asking it too much.- --Raffaele Simone, Roma Tre University, Rome Reviews on the French Edition: -Without catastrophism but with a clear demonstration of scholarly rigor DS reminds us here that democracy is fragile and cannot be protected from itself, by itself i.e., from its citizens.- --Marie Liesse Lecerf, Etudes -Neither laugh nor cry, but understanding is exactly what DS accomplishes, book after book, and that's why his thinking is so precious.- --Alain Policar, www.nonfiction.fr -With DS objectivity and rigor provides a clear analysis of the situation of our democracy today.- --revue des francs-maCons -A reflection that, without a doubt, will attract the attention of Canadian readers.- --Revue canadienne de science politique -A fascinating book and accessible to all readers wishing to understand the world in which we live and in which we participate.- --Acropolis -An insightful, patient and steadfast exercise in disassembling the concept of democracy into its elements and in showing that they are partly illusions. An in-depth analysis of how we stress democracy by asking it too much.- --Raffaele Simone, Roma Tre University

Democracy is fragile, it should be protected from itself. --GErard Moatti, Les Echos

The Democratic Spirit of Law is the culmination of an ambitious sociological project rich with civic and philosophical import...Eschewing reactionary pathos and progressivist illusions, Schnapper brings wisdom and moderation to bear on our democratic discontents. --Daniel J. Mahoney, Assumption College An insightful, patient and steadfast exercise in disassembling the concept of democracy into its elements and in showing that they are partly illusions. An in-depth analysis of how we stress democracy by asking it too much. --Raffaele Simone, Roma Tre University, Rome Reviews on the French Edition: Without catastrophism but with a clear demonstration of scholarly rigor DS reminds us here that democracy is fragile and cannot be protected from itself, by itself i.e., from its citizens. --Marie Liesse Lecerf, Etudes Neither laugh nor cry, but understanding is exactly what DS accomplishes, book after book, and that's why his thinking is so precious. --Alain Policar, www.nonfiction.fr With DS objectivity and rigor provides a clear analysis of the situation of our democracy today. --revue des francs-maCons A reflection that, without a doubt, will attract the attention of Canadian readers. --Revue canadienne de science politique A fascinating book and accessible to all readers wishing to understand the world in which we live and in which we participate. --Acropolis An insightful, patient and steadfast exercise in disassembling the concept of democracy into its elements and in showing that they are partly illusions. An in-depth analysis of how we stress democracy by asking it too much. --Raffaele Simone, Roma Tre University

Author Information

Dominique Schnapper is a sociologist and professor at the School of Higher Social Science Studies. She was a member of the French Supreme Court from 2001 to 2010 and has devoted much of her work to reflections on citizenship and social integration, in particular that of Jews in French society, and to the transformations of contemporary democracy.

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