Books by Robert A. Dahl

"A tightly woven explanation of the conditions under which cultures that do not tolerate political opposition may be transformed into societies that do."--Foreign Affairs "[Dahl's] analysis is lucid, perceptive, and thorough."--Times Literary Supplement Amidst all the emotional uproar about democracy and the widespread talk of revolution comes this clear call to reason--a mind-stretching book that equips the young and the old suddenly to see an ageless problem of society in a new and exciting way. Everything Dahl says can be applied in a fascinating way to the governing of any human enterprise involving more than one person--whether it is a nation-state, a political party, a business firm, or a university.

Winner of the 1991 Elaine and David Spitz Book Prize for the best book on liberal and/or democratic theory, this book discusses what democracy is and why it is important. It examines basic assumptions of democratic theory and tests them against the questions raised by critics.