Wanting Democracy

Representative democracy grew out of struggles by excluded groups demanding a voice in politics. In this book, renowned political theorist Rosemary H. T. O’Kane asks why democracy is so deeply desired, yet why it often falls short in practice. She explores how democratic systems can be strengthened against the pressures that threaten them, showing democracy as a living system shaped by institutions, society, and collective action.

Instead of starting with ancient Athens or abstract philosophical debates, O’Kane takes a fresh approach. She looks at real historical and contemporary cases (from the Chartists and Russia in 1905 to civil rights movements in Northern Ireland and the United States, and the UK’s anti EU campaign) while engaging with classic theories about bureaucracy, political parties, elites, and power. These lessons, additionally informed by the cases of India, South Korea, Taiwan and Sweden, are then used to build a “practical ideal” vision of representative democracy grounded in everyday realities. This practical ideal goes beyond elections and rights to include fair law, neutral bureaucracy, and an active society marked by equality and civic participation.

By blending case studies with theory Wanting Democracy: Cases, Theories and Realization gives students a clear, accessible framework for understanding both the strengths and the limits of modern democracy today.