Democracy operates on consent. That means politicians have an obligation
to present and argue their causes in order to ultimately win consensus.
Above all, democracy requires honesty--in facing up to challenges,
acknowledging fears and dangers, and admitting the limitations of
government. But democracy has its flaws, not least in the lack of
efficiency in the decision-making process.
Amid pressing questions about the nature and limits of democracy, both
in Britain and beyond, The Responsibilities of Democracy provides a
clear-eyed perspective shared by two former politicians. Two central
figures of the British political establishment, John Major and Nick
Clegg, share their thoughts on where democracy is heading and how it can
survive in the twenty-first century. Offering his perspective as a
former prime minister, Major writes of the qualities on which a healthy
democracy depends and expresses his deep concerns about the declining
decorum of political exchange. Clegg brings a counter-perspective in
discussing the ways in which political language has always involved
trading insults and argues that echo chambers, although now more
sophisticated, are nothing new. Compromise, Clegg insists, is not
betrayal, but is instead the very substance of our politics and our
democracy. The Responsibilities of Democracy explores the overall
health of UK democracy, giving a balanced analysis of its values and
flaws. It is also a clarion call to the electorate and politicians to
nurture and protect the precious values on which democracy depends.
