Democracy Defended

Is there such a thing as the public good? Noted scholars have questioned the effectiveness and fairness of democratic governance and voting. Gerry Mackie confronts their doubts by examining their claims in detail, and finds that almost every one is erroneous, while none is normatively troubling. Mackie concludes that such irrationalist views of democracy are neither theoretically or empirically justified, and, accordingly, mounts a fierce defense of democratic institutions.