Democratic Extremism in Theory and Practice
Democracy and extremism are usually considered as opposites. We assume that our system (in the UK, the USA, the Netherlands, etc.) is democratic, and that extremists aim to destroy our system and introduce some kind of dictatorship, if not chaos and anarchy. Yet, in many cases, the extremists seem sincere in their attempt to construct a more democratic polity. Hence, they can be called democrats and yet also extremists, in so far as they strive for a regime with characteristics that are more extreme in a significant sense.
This book analyses radical and extreme democratic theories and ideas in their historical context, interlocked with critical descriptions of historical institutions and experiments that help to evaluate the theories. Cases range from ancient Athens to recent experiments with citizen juries and citizen assemblies, from the time-honoured Swiss Landsgemeinde to contemporary (and controversial) workers councils in Venezuela and participatory budgeting in Porto Alegre. Among the theorists discussed here are familiar names as well as relatively unknown persons: Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Karl Marx, Murray Bookchin and John Burnheim, William Godwin and Barbara Goodwin, Anton Pannekoek and Heinz Dieterich. Whereas the extreme ideas do not seem to work very well in practice, they do indicate ways by which we could make existing political systems more democratic.
This book will be of interest to students of Politics and Current Affairs, as well as an inspiration to political activists and reformists.
Paul Lucardie was affiliated with the Documentation Centre on Dutch Political Parties at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, from 1979 till 2011. He has done research on Dutch parties, especially new and extreme parties, as well as on ideologies.
Routledge studies in extremism and democracy
Series Editors: Roger Eatwell
University of Bath
and
Matthew Goodwin
University of Nottingham.
Founding Series Editors:
Roger Eatwell
University of Bath
and
Cas Mudde
University of Antwerp-UFSIA.
This new series encompasses academic studies within the broad fields of extremism and democracy. These topics have traditionally been considered largely in isolation by academics. A key focus of the series, therefore, is the (inter-)relation between extremism and democracy. Works will seek to answer questions such as to what extent extremist groups pose a major threat to democratic parties, or how democracy can respond to extremism without undermining its own democratic credentials.
The books encompass two strands:
Routledge Studies in Extremism and Democracy includes books with an introductory and broad focus which are aimed at students and teachers. These books will be available in hardback and paperback. Titles include:
Understanding Terrorism in America
From the Klan to al Qaeda
Christopher Hewitt
Fascism and the Extreme Right
Roger Eatwell
Racist Extremism in Central and Eastern Europe
Edited by Cas Mudde
Political Parties and Terrorist Groups (2nd Edition)
Leonard Weinberg, Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger
The New Extremism in 21st Century Britain
Edited by Roger Eatwell and Matthew Goodwin
New British Fascism
Rise of the British National Party
Matthew Goodwin
The End of Terrorism?
Leonard Weinberg
Mapping the Extreme Right in Contemporary Europe
From local to transnational
Edited by Andrea Mammone, Emmanuel Godin and Brian Jenkins
Varieties of Right-Wing Extremism in Europe
Edited by Andrea Mammone, Emmanuel Godin and Brian Jenkins
Routledge Research in Extremism and Democracy offers a forum for innovative new research intended for a more specialist readership. These books will be in hardback only. Titles include:
1 Uncivil Society?
Contentious politics in post-Communist Europe
Edited by Petr Kopecky and Cas Mudde
2 Political Parties and Terrorist Groups
Leonard Weinberg and Ami Pedahzur
3 Western Democracies and the New Extreme Right Challenge
Edited by Roger Eatwell and Cas Mudde
4 Confronting Right Wing Extremism and Terrorism in the USA
George Michael
5 Anti-Political Establishment Parties
A comparative analysis
Amir Abedi
6 American Extremism
History, politics and the militia
D. J. Mulloy
7 The Scope of Tolerance
Studies on the costs of free expression and freedom of the press
Raphael Cohen-Almagor
8 Extreme Right Activists in Europe
Through the magnifying glass
Bert Klandermans and Nonna Mayer
9 Ecological Politics and Democratic Theory
Mathew Humphrey
10 Reinventing the Italian Right
Territorial politics, populism and post-Fascism
Carlo Ruzza and Stefano Fella
11 Political Extremes
An investigation into the history of terms and concepts from antiquity to the present
Uwe Backes
12 The Populist Radical Right in Poland
The patriots
Rafal Pankowski
13 Social and Political Thought of Julius Evola
Paul Furlong
14 Radical Left Parties in Europe
Luke March
15 Counterterrorism in Turkey
Policy choices and policy effects toward the Kurdistan workers party (PKK)
Mustafa Coar nal
16 Class Politics and the Radical Right
Edited by Jens Rydgren
17 Rethinking the French New Right
Alternatives to modernity
Tamir Bar-On
18 Ending Terrorism in Italy
Anna Bull and Philip Cooke
19 Politics of Eugenics
Productionism, population, and national welfare
Alberto Spektorowski and Liza Saban
20 Democratic Extremism in Theory and Practice
All power to the people
Paul Lucardie
First published 2014
by Routledge
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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
2014 Paul Lucardie
The right of Paul Lucardie to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Lucardie, Paul, Democratic extremism in theory and practice: all power to the people / Paul Lucardie.
pages cm. (Extremism and democracy)
