Dennis F. Thompson is the Alfred North Whitehead Professor of Political Philosophy and director of the Center for Ethics and the Professions at Harvard University. He is the author of Political Ethics and Public Office, Ethics in Congress and coauthor of Democracy and Disagreement.
In light of events such as the contested 2000 presidential election, it is imperative that voters are able to intelligently judge "the process of elections independently of the outcomes," this book argues. Through a careful analysis of electoral procedures, considered in the light of three main precepts (and chapters)-equal respect, free choice, and popular sovereignty-Thompson aims to give voters the philosophical and political know-how to become more engaged with elections, and to make better informed decisions about electoral justice. Thompson (Political Ethics and Public Office) is a professor of political philosophy at Harvard, and it shows: the ideas are meticulously presented and exhaustively explained, but this volume, which often reads like a textbook, can make for some slow going. Nonetheless, this is important work. Thompson examines the complex principles underlying arguments about district boundaries, registration, the voting process and term limits, among others. He also addresses questions of authority-i.e., who, among legislatures and courts and commissions, should have the power to decide which votes count. Despite the book's dry tone, it is well worth reading, as every American should understand the procedures and ideas it explains. As Thompson says, "reasonable disagreement about electoral justice is not only inevitable but also desirable." (Nov.) Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.
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