A Different Kind of Democracy?: Debates About Democracy and the European Union

Democracy is the only legitimate form of political power in societies that regard individuals as free and equal. Yet many have doubted whether the European Union is, can be, or should be democratic. Is the European Union unsustainable in its present form? Must it either take a precarious gamble on forming a full democratic political system of its own or, as some have argued, downsize so that it can be controlled by its member state democracies? A Different Kind of Democracy? helps answer these questions by bringing together some of the most important contributions to the literature on democracy and the European Union. It includes arguments for and against the claim that the European Union is in democratic deficit; reflections on the possibilities and problems of forming a European Union demos (democratic political community); and proposals for how the Union might be made democratic. Each of these topics is introduced by a careful analysis of the normative and practical questions it poses. As well as being of interest to scholars of European integration, the reader is indispensable to all with an interest in prospects for democracy beyond the state.