TY - BOOK ID - 101186853 TI - The idea of political representation and its paradoxes AU - Waskiewicz, Andrzej AU - Waśkiewicz, Agnieszka AU - Burton, Marilyn E. PY - 2020 SN - 3631806019 3631806027 3631803885 PB - Bern Peter Lang International Academic Publishing Group DB - UniCat KW - Representative government and representation. KW - Democracy. KW - Self-government KW - Political science KW - Equality KW - Representative government and representation KW - Republics KW - Parliamentary government KW - Political representation KW - Representation KW - Constitutional history KW - Constitutional law KW - Democracy KW - Elections KW - Suffrage KW - 2012 KW - Common good KW - Idea KW - idei KW - Legitimisation of power KW - Limitation of power KW - Paradoksy KW - Paradoxes KW - Political KW - politycznej KW - reprezentacji KW - Scholar KW - Social diversity KW - Sovereignty of power KW - Warszawa KW - Waskiewicz KW - Wydawnictwo UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:101186853 AB - If we want to understand the vicissitudes of modern democracy then, argues the author, we need to analyse the ideas upon which representative government is based rather than compare contemporary conditions with the Greek ideal. These principal ideas have been presented clearly in past centuries, when the relation between democracy and representation was still a matter of political judgement. The old masters of political thinking clarified the functions of representation: legitimising power, creating sovereignty but also setting its limits, and pursuing the common good while still reflecting social diversity. Because institutions of representation are expected to fulfil a variety of functions, these institutions have in recent times come under attack for standing in the way of radical programs for democratising democracy. The author of this book reminds us that these functions are necessary in every political order, whether democratic or not. Instead of rejecting representation, political theorists should focus on making government more accountable. ER -