Abstract
This article looks at an assessment of the extent to which people all over the world support democracy as a form of government. It presents the argument that such an assessment cannot provide enough information as long as the people's definition of democracy remains uncertain. It then discusses the main connotations that people associate with democracy with the main democratic values discerned in normative democratic theory. Finally, the article assesses the extent people uphold the more specific values of democracy, if they are asked to apply them in particular instances.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | The Oxford Handbook of Political Behaviour |
Editors | Russell J. Dalton, Hans‐Dieter Klingemann |
Place of Publication | Oxford |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Pages | 418-434 |
ISBN (Print) | 978-0-19-927012-5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2007 |
Keywords
- Democracy
- Form of government
- Definition of democracy
- Main connotations
- Main democratic values
- Normative democratic theory
- Specific values of democracy