Discussion 1: Influence of Classical Democratic Theorists

Since ancient times, the idea of how people should govern has been a mainstay of philosophers and political theorists. One of the most enduring notions to emerge from early theorists is the basic belief that people are capable of governing themselves. The concept of democratic governance developed out of those early intellectual discussions. Democratic governance enjoys widespread acceptance in many parts of the world today. Yet, the exact meaning of democratic governance and how it should be implemented still remains a topic of debate. Democratic theory has evolved because of contributions from classical democratic theorists such as Aristotle, Plato, Rousseau, Locke, and Jefferson. It is important to consider of the ideas of these classical theorists when thinking about modern democratic theory.

To prepare for this Discussion

• Review the Course Introduction. Keep this overview in mind as you work through each week of the course.

• Review the article "American Nightmare: Neoliberalism, Neoconservatism, and De-Democratization" in this week's Learning Resources. Think about the effects of political democratic theories on contemporary democracy.

• Review the article "Rhetoric and the Public Sphere: Has Deliberative Democracy Abandoned Mass Democracy?" in this week's Learning Resources. Consider how Plato's theory of deliberative democracy influenced contemporary theories of democracy.

• Review the articles "John Locke" and "Jean Jacques Rousseau" in this week's Learning Resources. Think about how social contract theory is related to contemporary democratic theory.

• Select at least one classical democratic theorist and consider his influence on contemporary democratic theory.