Democracy and the Quest for Justice: Russian and American Perspectives (Value Inquiry Book Series 148) (Value Inquiry Book Series: Contemporary Russian Philosophy, 148)

This book examines the changes and challenges to democracy particularly in contemporary Russia. In the first section, Russian and American philosophers scrutinize the virtues and vices facing a country changing to a democratic government. The book, secondly, explores the challenges facing a democratic Russia. Lastly, the book considers carefully issues of social justice arising from the relationship between democracy and the current economic climate of globalization. CONTEMPORARY RUSSIAN PHILOSOPHY (CRP) explores a variety of perspectives in and on philosophy as it is currently being practiced in Russia. Co-sponsored by the Center for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, and by the Russian Philosophical Society, this special series features collaborative works between Russians and Americans, collections of essays by Russians, and monographs by Russians. All volumes are published in English. Contents 8 Editorial Foreword 12 Preface 16 Introduction – Current Trends in Russian and American Political Theory 22 1. Introduction 22 2. Democracy: Virtues and Vices 23 3. Challenges to Democracy in Russia 24 4. Democracy and Economics 25 PART ONE – DEMOCRACY: VALUES, AND VICES 28 ONE – Living in the World of a "Unipolar System": Alternatives and Trends 30 TWO – Corruption and Democracy 42 1. Introduction 42 2. Providers and Officials 44 3. The Culture of Political Corruption: Public Opinion 49 4. Manipulating the Factors of Corruption: Reform Proposals 51 5. Conclusion 55 THREE – Ethics and Democracy: On the Danger of Moral Demagoguery 58 1. Aspects of Democracy that Can Lead to Violence 58 2. The Nature of Moral Demagoguery and How It Can Lead to Violence 59 3. The Way in Which Violence Needs Moral Demagoguery 61 4. The Role of Moral Demagoguery In the Political Consciousness of Contemporary Russia 63 FOUR – Democracy, Patriotism, and Virtue: Notes Toward a Cultural Theory of Nations and Nationalism 66 1. Introduction 66 2. Beyond Civic and Ethnic Nationalism 67 3. The Interdictory Forms of Higher Nationalism 69 4. Russia: A Mixed Case? 73 5. The Paradoxes of Lower Nationalism 74 PART TWO – CHALLENGES TO DEMOCRACY IN RUSSIA 80 FIVE – Democratic Reforms in Russia: The Specific Social Transformation 82 1. Social Transformations Before Perestroika 82 2. Transformations During Perestroika 84 3. Transformations After Perestroika 88 SIX – Democracy, Information, and the Russian Experiment 94 1. Introduction 94 2. The Goals and Purposes of a Democratic Society 95 3. Information Theory and the Communications Structure 97 4. Solutions 101 SEVEN – Reflections on Some Problems in Russia's Transformation 104 PART THREE – DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMICS 118 EIGHT – The American Dream: Democracy or Meritocracy? 120 1. Democracy and Meritocracy? 120 2. Who Are the Elite? 121 3. How Did the New Meritocracy Arise? 124 4. What Can Be Done? 125 NINE – Civil Society and Civil Participation 128 TEN – Economic Democracy: The Final Frontier 142 1. Introduction: From Political to Economic Democracy 142 2. The Critique of Economic Democracy and A Response 143 3. Relations of Politics and Economics in Political Philosophy 145 4. Beyond Post-Keynesian Economic Liberalism 149 5. Conclusion: Prospects for Economic Democracy 152 Bibliography 158 About the Authors 170 Index 172 A 172 B 172 C 172 D 172 E 173 F 173 G 173 H 173 I 173 J 173 K 174 L 174 M 174 N 174 P 174 R 174 S 175 T 175 U 175 V 175 W 175 Y 175 Z 175 Contents......Page 8 Editorial Foreword......Page 12 Preface......Page 16 1. Introduction......Page 22 2. Democracy: Virtues and Vices......Page 23 3. Challenges to Democracy in Russia......Page 24 4. Democracy and Economics......Page 25 PART ONE – DEMOCRACY: VALUES, AND VICES......Page 28 ONE – Living in the World of a "Unipolar System": Alternatives and Trends......Page 30 1. Introduction......Page 42 2. Providers and Officials......Page 44 3. The Culture of Political Corruption: Public Opinion......Page 49 4. Manipulating the Factors of Corruption: Reform Proposals......Page 51 5. Conclusion......Page 55 1. Aspects of Democracy that Can Lead to Violence......Page 58 2. The Nature of Moral Demagoguery and How It Can Lead to Violence......Page 59 3. The Way in Which Violence Needs Moral Demagoguery......Page 61 4. The Role of Moral Demagoguery In the Political Consciousness of Contemporary Russia......Page 63 1. Introduction......Page 66 2. Beyond Civic and Ethnic Nationalism......Page 67 3. The Interdictory Forms of Higher Nationalism......Page 69 4. Russia: A Mixed Case?......Page 73 5. The Paradoxes of Lower Nationalism......Page 74 PART TWO – CHALLENGES TO DEMOCRACY IN RUSSIA......Page 80 1. Social Transformations Before Perestroika......Page 82 2. Transformations During Perestroika......Page 84 3. Transformations After Perestroika......Page 88 1. Introduction......Page 94 2. The Goals and Purposes of a Democratic Society......Page 95 3. Information Theory and the Communications Structure......Page 97 4. Solutions......Page 101 SEVEN – Reflections on Some Problems in Russia's Transformation......Page 104 PART THREE – DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMICS......Page 118 1. Democracy and Meritocracy?......Page 120 2. Who Are the Elite?......Page 121 3. How Did the New Meritocracy Arise?......Page 124 4. What Can Be Done?......Page 125 NINE – Civil Society and Civil Participation......Page 128 1. Introduction: From Political to Economic Democracy......Page 142 2. The Critique of Economic Democracy and A Response......Page 143 3. Relations of Politics and Economics in Political Philosophy......Page 145 4. Beyond Post-Keynesian Economic Liberalism......Page 149 5. Conclusion: Prospects for Economic Democracy......Page 152 Bibliography......Page 158 About the Authors......Page 170 D......Page 172 J......Page 173 R......Page 174 Z......Page 175 This book examines the changes and challenges to democracy particularly in contemporary Russia. In the first section, Russian and American philosophers scrutinize the virtues and vices facing a country changing to a democratic government. The book, secondly, explores the challenges facing a democratic Russia. Lastly, the book considers carefully issues of social justice arising from the relationship between democracy and the current economic climate of globalization. The series Contemporary Russian Philosophy explores a variety of perspectives in and on philosophy as it is currently being practiced in Russia. Co-sponsored by the Center for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, and by the Russian Philosophical Society, this special series features collaborative works between Russians and Americans, collections of essays by Russians, and monographs by Russians. All volumes are published in English. Current trends in Russian and American political theory / Reginald Raymer Living in the world of a "unipolar system" : alternatives and trends / Tatiana Alekseeva Corruption and democracy / Robert Mundt Ethics and democracy : on the danger of moral demagoguery / Abdusalam Guseinov Democracy, patriotism, and virtue : notes toward a cultural theory of nations and nationalism / Alan Woolfolk Democratic reforms in Russia : the specific social transformation / Vyacheslav Stiopin Democracy, information, and the Russian experiment / Nicholas Caste Reflections on some problems in Russia's transformation / Konstantin Zuev The American dream : democracy or meritocracy? / Laura Duhan Kaplan and Charles Kaplan Civil society and civil participants / Ruben Apressyan Economic democracy : the final frontier / William Gay. Annotation "This book examines the changes and challenges to democracy particularly in contemporary Russia. In the first section, Russian and American philosophers scrutinize the virtues and vices facing a country changing to a democratic government. The book, secondly, explores the challenges facing a democratic Russia. Lastly, the book considers carefully issues of social justice arising from the relationship between democracy and the current economic climate of globalization."--BOOK JACKET. Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved