Single Idea 20091

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / d. Representative democracy]

Full Idea

Bernard Manin (1995) revealed how, immediately after the American and French revolutions, the electoral-representative system was chosen with the intention of keeping at bay the tumult of democracy.

Gist of Idea

Representative elections were developed in order to avoid democracy

Source

David van Reybrouck (Against Elections [2013], 3 'procedure')

Book Reference

Reybrouck,David van: 'Against Elections', ed/tr. Waters,Liz [Bodley Head 2016], p.62


A Reaction

At the time America and France were two of the largest countries in the world, and communication and transport were slow. That has changed.