Milligan’s book makes the case that representative democracy as practiced by countries in Europe and North America is broken. He describes “general direct democracy,” a hybrid of representation and direct democracy, as the replacement for the broken system. After outlining the issue in a brief introductory preface, the author explores the reasons why representative democracy has faltered in chapter 1. He outlines how general direct democracy would work in chapter 2. Chapter 3 reviews the Occupy movement of 2011 as an example of faults of representative democracy and the promise of general direct democracy. Chapters 4 and 5 dig into history to detail how the workers’ council of political revolutions was unable to develop workable direct democratic structures. Milligan reviews liberal and republican criticisms of direct democracy in chapter 6 before turning in chapter 7 to the concerns that excess democracy will lead to the deterioration of society. Chapter 8 bears on a historical tangent by examining Gandhi’s panchayat system. The concluding chapter brings the discussion back to the real world of politics. This book will appeal to readers seeking a thorough consideration of a solution to the problems facing modern representative governance. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.

CHOICE

In light of emerging populist movements calling for greater direct democracy, Milligan examines alternatives to the hierarchical democratic system. He explores the theoretical and practical challenges of systems of direct democracy, concluding that, despite some obstacles, they could become a legitimate and positive alternative for governance.

Survival: The Iiss Quarterly