Democracy without Shortcuts

These pages review Cristina Lafont's latest book: “Democracy without shortcuts. A participatory conception of deliberative democracy”. The book, a discussion of central questions of democracy and constitutionalism, argues that there are no “shortcuts” to the protection of rights, as there is only the “long” and “arduous” process of “engaging and transforming the hearts and minds” of our fellow citizens. In this context, the review presents the main arguments of the book, as well as some of its merits and critical considerations.