The Technocratic Challenge to Democracy / Edition 1

by Eri Bertsou, Daniele Caramani

Overview

This book represents the first comprehensive study of how technocracy currently challenges representative democracy and asks how technocratic politics undermines democratic legitimacy. How strong is its challenge to democratic institutions?

The book offers a solid theory and conceptualization of technocratic politics and the technocratic challenge is analyzed empirically at all levels of the national and supra-national institutions and actors, such as cabinets, parties, the EU, independent bodies, central banks and direct democratic campaigns in a comparative and policy perspective. It takes an in-depth analysis addressing elitism, meritocracy, de-politicization, efficiency, neutrality, reliance on science and distrust toward party politics and ideologies, and their impact when pitched against democratic responsiveness, accountability, citizens' input and pluralist competition. In the current crisis of democracy, this book assesses the effects of the technocratic critique against representative institutions, which are perceived to be unable to deal with complex and global problems. It analyzes demands for competent and responsible policy making in combination with the simultaneous populist resistance to experts.

The book will be of key interest to scholars and students of comparative politics, political theory, policy analysis, multi-level governance as well as practitioners working in bureaucracies, media, think-tanks and policy making.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367358280
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	03/24/2020
Series:	Routledge Research on Social and Political Elites
Pages:	340
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Eri Bertsou is Postdoctoral Researcher in Comparative Politics at the University of Zurich, Switzerland.

Daniele Caramani is Professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Zurich, Switzerland.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Technocratic Challenge to Democracy Part I: Concepts and Theory 1. Technocracy and Political Theory 2. Neoliberal Technocracy: The Challenge to Democratic Self-Government 3. Technocracy and Depoliticization 4. Technocratic Responsiveness 5. Measuring Technocracy Part II: Institutions, Actors and Policies 6. Technocratic Cabinets 7. Technocrats in Cabinets and Their Policy Effects 8. Technocratic Cabinets in European Negotiations 9. Technocracy in Discourse: The Case of Direct Democracy 10. Technocracy and the Policy Process Part III: Comparative Perspectives 11. The EU between Technocratic and Democratic Legitimacy 12. Technocracy in Latin America: Between Stability and Democratic Deficit 13. Technocracy in Central-Eastern Europe and Its Impact on Democratization. Conclusion: Technocracy and Democracy: Friends or Foes?