The Diversity Of Democracy

‘This is an important volume by authoritative authors that raises important questions about democracy. It demands extended attention and will stimulate debate.’
– Wyn Grant, Political Studies Review

‘This timely book fills a void in the literature on interest group representation in democracies. Contributors address various topics in democratic development and interest group representation in a manner that is both broadly comparative and attentive to in-depth case studies. . . . Overall, this is a great addition to the literature on democratic consolidation with a neo-corporatistic focus. Highly recommended.’
– B.A Yesilada, Choice

At a time when democratization and the state of democracy are at the forefront of attention in many parts of the world, this book examines the state-of-the-art on this vital political issue.

Revisiting the now classical literature on neo-corporatism in light of current research and theory, the contributors illustrate the enormous influence of the ‘neo-corporatist debate’ on modern political science, political sociology, and political economy. Reflecting on a major part of the recent history of social science, they shed light on some of its current core concepts, such as governance, policy networks, and varieties of capitalism. The book traces the evolution of political conflicts concerning social order; from the class conflicts in Europe in the of 1970s Europe to the subsequent Latin American and Eastern European battles over democratization and democratic transition, to the debate on the ‘democratic deficit’ of the European Union.

Paying tribute to the work of Philippe Schmitter, which bridges the themes discussed in the book and which has provided inspiration to an entire generation of social scientists, The Diversity of Democracy will be invaluable to academics, students and researchers with an interest in political science, democratic theory, European integration and the study of democratic transitions as well as Latin American and Eastern European studies.

Contents:

Preface
Colin Crouch and Wolfgang Streeck

Part I: Corporatism and Democracy
1. The Study of Organized Interests: Before ‘the Century’ and After
Wolfgang Streeck

2. Neo-Corporatism and Democracy
Colin Crouch

3. From Corporatist Unions to Protest Unions? On the (Difficult) Relations between Organized Labour and New Social Movements
Donatella della Porta

Part II: Democratic Transitions and Consolidation
4. From Democracy to Democratization: Before and After Transitions from Authoritarian Rule
Terry Karl

5. Democratization and the Popular Interest Regime in Latin America
Ruth Berins Collier

6. Making Capitalism Compatible with Democracy: Tentative Reflections from the ‘East’
László Bruszt

Part III: Democracy and European Integration
7. The Problem of Legitimacy in the European Polity: Is Democratization the Answer?
Claus Offe and Ulrich K. Preuss

8. The Neo-Functionalists Were (Almost) Right: Politicization and European Integration
Liesbet Hooghe and Gary Marks

9. Collective Participation in the European Union: The ‘Euro Corporatism’ Debate
Gerda Falkner

Postscriptum: Working with Philippe
Guillermo O’Donnell

Index