Democratic Theory and Socialism

This book is an important contribution to the theory of democracy and socialism. The underlying question it poses is: how, if at all, can one have both socialism and democracy? In posing an answer to this question, Professor Cunningham addresses the following topics: the definition of democracy and whether socialism is necessary to its progress: the socialist retrieval of liberal democracy associated with the work of C. B. Macpherson: the political consciousness that Gramsci placed at the center of socialist politics: and attempts by those in women's and national liberation movements to go beyond 'class reductionism' in socialist theory and practice. Unlike other works on this topic, the book devotes much attention to defining key terms and drawing politically relevant conclusions. It will therefore be fully accessible to undergraduates as well as graduates and teachers of philosophy and political science.

Preface; Introduction: 1. What is to be asked?; 2. Marxism and methodology; Part I. Justifying Democracy and Socialism: 3. Democracy: more or less; 4. Justifying democracy; 5. Capitalism, socialism and equality; 6. Justifying socialism; Part II. The Retrieval of Liberal democracy: 7. Liberal democracy; 8. Superseded liberal democracy; Part III. Practical Solutions to Theoretical Problems: 9. Class reductionism; 10. False consciousness; Conclusion: 11. The politics of democratic socialism; Notes; Index.

This book is an important contribution to the theory of democracy and socialism. The underlying question it poses is: how, if at all, can one have both socialism and democracy? Unlike other works on this topic, the book devotes much attention to defining key terms and drawing politically relevant conclusions. It will therefore be fully accessible to undergraduates as well as graduates and teachers of philosophy and political science.