Protecting equal democratic rights across all sections of society, irrespective of one’s ethnicity, gender or wealth is a cornerstone of liberal democracies – and still an ongoing battle in most countries across the world. Throughout modern Western history, in various movements from the suffragettes in the UK to the American Civil rights movement, the battle for a freer society was closely interlinked with the ability of democratic participation. Therefore, democratic accountability and individual freedom are concepts which are closely interconnected in most people’s minds.
But is there such a thing as too much democracy? What are the downsides democratising all government institutions, and can they be rectified without endorsing strongmen leaders and letting bureaucracies go wild? What is the history and the future of democratic development across modern societies and how can classical liberals shape the process in the most freedom-friendly way?
Two prominent authors from both sides of the Atlantic will join us for a friendly debate about the merits and problems of democracies. On the occasion of the launch of Eamonn Butler’s new IEA Primer ‘An Introduction to Democracy’ we are delighted to welcome him and Garrett Jones, Author of ’10% less Democracy – Why You Should Trust the Elites a Little More’ to our webinar.