Political Political Theory: Essays on Institutions
by Jeremy Waldron (Author)
Political institutions are the main subject of
political theory―or they ought to be. Making the case with his trademark
forcefulness and intellectual aplomb, Jeremy Waldron argues in favor of
reorienting the theory of politics toward the institutions and institutional
principles of modern democracy and the mechanisms through which democratic
ideals are achieved.
Too many political theorists are preoccupied with
analyzing the nature and importance of justice, liberty, and equality, at the
cost of ignoring the governmental institutions needed to achieve them. By
contrast, political scientists have kept institutions in view, but they deploy
a meager set of value-conceptions in evaluating them. Reflecting on an array of
issues about constitutional structure, Waldron considers the uses and abuses of
diverse institutions and traditions, from separation of powers and bicameralism
to judicial review of legislation, the principle of loyal opposition, the
nature of representation, political accountability, and the rule of law. He
refines his well-known argument about the undemocratic character of judicial
review, providing a capacious perspective on the proper role of courts in a
constitutional democracy, and he offers an illuminating critique of the
contrasting political philosophies of Hannah Arendt and Isaiah Berlin.
Even if political theorists remain fixated on
expounding the philosophical foundations of democracy, they need to complement
their work with a firmer grasp of the structures through which democracy is
realized. This is what political political theory means: theory addressing
itself to the way political institutions frame political disagreements and
orchestrate resolutions to our disputes over social ideals.
