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About this item
Highlights
- A powerful case for why majority rule--not representation--is the defining feature of democratic politics The idea that democratic governance rests on active self-rule by citizens plays surprisingly little part in current theories of democracy, which instead stress the importance of representation by elected, appointed, or randomly selected bodies such as legislatures, courts, and juries.
- About the Author: Richard Tuck is the Frank G. Thomson Professor of Government at Harvard University.
- 208 Pages
- Political Science, Political Ideologies
Description
Book Synopsis
A powerful case for why majority rule--not representation--is the defining feature of democratic politics
The idea that democratic governance rests on active self-rule by citizens plays surprisingly little part in current theories of democracy, which instead stress the importance of representation by elected, appointed, or randomly selected bodies such as legislatures, courts, and juries. This would have astonished eighteenth-century theorists of democracy, who viewed universal suffrage and majoritarian voting as the sole criteria for democratic politics. Active and Passive Citizens defends the view of these earlier thinkers, asserting that individual agency is the very essence of democracy. In this provocative and lucidly argued book, Richard Tuck draws on the distinction made by the Abbé Sieyès, a leading political theorist of the French Revolution, between "active" citizens (the electorate) and "passive" ones (those who are represented by the institutions of the state). Tuck traces our current representative view of democracy to Sieyès and contrasts him with Rousseau, a theorist of active self-rule by the people. Tuck argues that modern theories of democracy have effectively turned us into passive citizens and calls for a renewal of a majoritarian democracy that realizes the full potential of active citizenship. Based on the prestigious Tanner Lectures delivered at Princeton University's Center for Human Values, Active and Passive Citizens is edited and introduced by Stephen Macedo and includes commentary by political theorists Simone Chambers, Joshua Cohen, John Ferejohn, and Melissa Schwartzberg.Review Quotes
"[An] excellent book."---Samuel Moyn, Commonweal
"Highly recommended."-- "Choice"
About the Author
Richard Tuck is the Frank G. Thomson Professor of Government at Harvard University. His many books include The Sleeping Sovereign: The Invention of Modern Democracy; Hobbes: A Very Short Introduction; and Natural Rights Theories: Their Origin and Development.Dimensions (Overall): 8.5 Inches (H) x 5.5 Inches (W)
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 208
Genre: Political Science
Sub-Genre: Political Ideologies
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Theme: Democracy
Format: Paperback
Author: Richard Tuck
Language: English
Street Date: April 28, 2026
TCIN: 1005705607
UPC: 9780691242811
Item Number (DPCI): 247-47-7970
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 1 inches length x 5.5 inches width x 8.5 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 1 pounds
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