Lessons for Citizens of a New Democracy

Peter C. Ordeshook, Professor of Political Science, California Institute of Technology, US and Visiting Distinguished Scholar, Chinese University, Hong Kong

• Contents: 1. Democracy: Just another Experiment? 2. Must we be something other than what we are? 3. Fools or Geniuses: What are Voters like in a Democracy? 4. Must we vote to be Democratic? 5. What is a fair and Competitive Election? 6. Economics or Politics: Which is the Chicken and which is the Egg? 7. Constitutional Rights: Mere words of Sustainable Guarantees? 8. Democratic Institutions: Why would they influence anything? 9. A New Constitution: Should we cut trees to print it? 10. Constitutions: Are there rules for how to write them? 11. Federalism: Ingredient for stability or a recipe for Dissolution? 12. Political Parties: A Source of Faction or Agents of Stability? 13. Legislatures: Can they govern us if they cannot govern themselves? 14. A Two-Chamber Legislature: Isn’t one more than enough? 15. Parliaments versus Presidents: Legislative Incoherence versus Authoritarian Rule? 16. Emergency Clauses: Essential Precaution or a lack of faith? 17. Russia’s Choices: An accident waiting to happen? 18. Can we be a Democracy? Index