When does democracy work well, and why? Is democracy the best
form of government? These questions are of supreme importance today
as the United States seeks to promote its democratic values abroad.
"Democracy and Knowledge" is the first book to look to ancient
Athens to explain how and why directly democratic government by the
people produces wealth, power, and security.
Combining a history of Athens with contemporary theories of
collective action and rational choice developed by economists and
political scientists, Josiah Ober examines Athenian democracy's
unique contribution to the ancient Greek city-state's remarkable
success, and demonstrates the valuable lessons Athenian political
practices hold for us today. He argues that the key to Athens's
success lay in how the city-state managed and organized the
aggregation and distribution of knowledge among its citizens. Ober
explores the institutional contexts of democratic knowledge
management, including the use of social networks for collecting
information, publicity for building common knowledge, and open
access for lowering transaction costs. He explains why a
government's attempt to dam the flow of information makes democracy
stumble. Democratic participation and deliberation consume state
resources and social energy. Yet as Ober shows, the benefits of a
well-designed democracy far outweigh its costs.
Understanding how democracy can lead to prosperity and security
is among the most pressing political challenges of modern times.
"Democracy and Knowledge" reveals how ancient Greek politics can
help us transcend the democratic dilemmas that confront the world
today.
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