Rehabilitating Popular Sovereignty: Rousseau's Unheeded Prescription for Democratic Disengagement

Russell's division between "good" and "bad" democracy is unsound. There were no two options of democracy in history from which we can choose, and the theoretically 'good ' one suggested by Russell based on pluralism invites more testimony to prove its superiority. It may prevent a dictator from hijacking political power, yet it fails to expand access to political participation for the disadvantaged groups, which makes them more and more indifferent toward politics. Such an aloof attitude may spread to other social classes, while electoral and representative mechanisms still function, the public is increasingly disengaged.