The Ideology of Democratism

The rise of global populism reveals a tension in Western thinking about democracy. Emily B. Finley's book "The Ideology of Democratism" argues that dismissing populism as anti-democratic is problematic and that the West has conceptualized democracy as an ideal that has all of the features of a thoroughgoing political ideology. She identifies an interpretation of democracy that effectively transforms the meaning of rule by the people into nearly its opposite, advocating a more complete and genuine form of democracy that in practice has little regard for the actual popular will.

Format: Hardback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 14 November 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

A fresh perspective on democracy is presented, revealing how historical figures such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, John Rawls, and neoconservatives in the United States have contributed to a pervasive and anti-democratic ideology. This ideology has effectively redefined democracy as rule by the elites. The rise of global populism highlights a tension in Western thinking about democracy. Warnings about the populist threat to democracy and authoritarian populism have become commonplace. However, Emily B. Finley argues in her book "The Ideology of Democratism" that dismissing populism as anti-democratic is problematic. She contends that the West has conceptualized democracy, not just its populist counterpart, as an ideal that encompasses a comprehensive political ideology known as democratism. Finley demonstrates how this understanding of democracy, which shapes a whole worldview and political perspective, has had a significant influence in America, as well as leading Western European nations and their colonial satellites. Through a meticulous analysis of these influential figures, Finley identifies an interpretation of democracy that effectively reverses the meaning of rule by the people. Many politicians, philosophers, academics, and others advocate for a more complete and authentic form of democracy, using democratic language and claiming to speak for the people. However, in practice, their proposals often disregard the actual popular will and prioritize their own interests or ideological agendas. This heterodox argument challenges the prevailing consensus and sheds light on the complex dynamics of democracy and its relationship with power.

Weight: 478g
Dimension: 163 x 242 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197642290