Discussion Questions for Chapters 1 & 2

1. Should participatory democratic decision making be extended to all spheres of life

to the workplace, to the governance of colleges and universities, and to the
marketplace through consumer cooperatives? How would this benefit these
institutions? hat kind of costs might be associated with democracy in non!
government institutions?
". How democratic is the #S? $or example, clear ma%orities of the &merican people
favor allowing prayer in the public schools and favor handgun control. 'et the
Supreme (ourt has ruled that prayer in the public schools is a violation of the
(onstitution, and (ongress has not yet passed comprehensive handgun
regulations. Similar circumstances prevail in regard to many other policy areas.
)s this evidence that the #S is not a democracy?
*. hy, if one is concerned with protecting human liberty, would one want to make
the legislative branch of government dominant +rather than the executive or
%udicial,? &re there good reasons why someone concerned with liberty would
distrust a strong executive? & powerful %udiciary? )s liberty most often
threatened by +a, powerful political elites who escape public control or +b, a
ma%ority intent on imposing its will on a minority? hich of these cases would
lead one to favor a strong legislative branch?
-. .he fragmentation of power under the (onstitution the separation of powers and
checks and balances makes the enactment of public policy a slow process.
hat threats are heightened in the age of terrorism when the government cannot
respond /uickly? 0o events in which the president has acted independently
indicate that the system has broken down?
1. .he #S (onstitution is based on a particular view of human nature. How did that
view influence the structure of the government? How were the weaknesses of
human nature exploited to safeguard against abuses of government?