What is “democratic” depends on the values one attaches to democracy. The distinction that determines the answer is between minimalist and maximalist conceptions of democracy. Defending democracy requires a positive, forward-looking program of reform.
About the Author
Adam Przeworski is Carroll and Milton Professor Emeritus of Politics at New York University. His books include Why Bother with Elections? (2018) and Crises of Democracy (2019). His seminal essay “What Makes Democracies Endure?” (with Fernando Limongi, José Antonio Cheibub, and Michael Alvarez) appeared in the January 1996 issue of the Journal of Democracy.
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