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Oases in the Desert: Hannah Arendt on Democratic Politics

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  • Isaac, Jeffrey C.

Abstract

Hannah Arendt never wrote systematically on the subject of democracy. In her book of greatest relevance to the subject, On Revolution, she criticized liberal democracy, and defended a conception of virtuous political “elites,” leading most commentators to view her as an opponent of democracy. I argue that Arendt defended a distinctive conception of grass-roots democracy, and that her conception of elites is distinctively democratic rather than anti-democratic. I bolster this argument by examining her historical context, and conclude by assessing the relevance of Arendt's conception of democracy.

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  • Isaac, Jeffrey C., 1994. "Oases in the Desert: Hannah Arendt on Democratic Politics," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 88(1), pages 156-168, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:88:y:1994:i:01:p:156-168_09
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