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    Democracy May Not Exist, but We'll Miss It When It's Gone
    Democracy May Not Exist, but We'll Miss It When It's Gone
    Democracy May Not Exist, but We'll Miss It When It's Gone
    Audiobook12 hours

    Democracy May Not Exist, but We'll Miss It When It's Gone

    Written by Astra Taylor

    Narrated by Kirsten Potter

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    About this audiobook

    There is no shortage of democracy, at least in name, and yet it is in crisis everywhere we look. From a cabal of plutocrats in the White House to gerrymandering and dark-money compaign contributions, it is clear that the principle of government by and for the people is not living up to its promise.

    The problems lie deeper than any one election cycle. As Astra Taylor demonstrates, real democracy-fully inclusive and completely egalitarian-has in fact never existed. In a tone that is both philosophical and anecdotal, weaving together history, theory, the stories of individuals, and interviews with such leading thinkers as Cornel West and Wendy Brown, Taylor invites us to reexamine the term. Is democracy a means or an end, a process or a set of desired outcomes? What if those outcomes, whatever they may be-peace, prosperity, equality, liberty, an engaged citizenry-can be achieved by non-democratic means? In what areas of life should democratic principles apply? If democracy means rule by the people, what does it mean to rule and who counts as the people?

    Democracy's inherent paradoxes often go unnamed and unrecognized. Exploring such questions, Democracy May Not Exist offers a better understanding of what is possible, what we want, why democracy is so hard to realize, and why it is worth striving for.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJun 30, 2020
    ISBN9781705242445
    Author

    Astra Taylor

    ASTRA TAYLOR is a filmmaker, writer, and political organizer, born in Winnipeg, MB, and raised in Athens, GA; she currently lives in New York. Her latest book is Remake the World: Essays, Reflections, Rebellions, and her other books include the American Book Award winner The People’s Platform: Taking Back Power and Culture in the Digital Age. She regularly writes for major publications, has directed multiple documentaries, toured with the band Neutral Milk Hotel, and co-founded the Debt Collective.

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