In Our Name: The Ethics of Democracy

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When a government in a democracy acts in our name, are we, as citizens, responsible for those acts What if the government commits a moral crime The protestor's slogan--"Not in our name!"--testifies to the need to separate ourselves from the wrongs of our leaders. Yet the idea that individual citizens might bear a special responsibility for politi

Reviews

"Beerbohm addresses crucially important questions with philosophical insight and some imagination: When are people in a democratic system complicit in and responsible for unjust government actions and structures What is required of citizens under unjust circumstances"--Choice "Beerbohm's research and range are impressive; he is precise in definition and argumentation: he tests his proposed principles against a staggering variety of hypothetical situations (and the occasional real one): and he is fearless in suggesting that our current political practices may defy justification... Although other books have sought to treat the theme of citizen complicity in public wrongdoing, none approaches this one in its care, seriousness, and sophistication."--Andrew Sabl, Perspectives on Politics "[T]he book provides us with a breathtakingly expansive, and ultimately compelling, account of citizens' duties within representative government. In Our Name is a distinctive and important contribution to democratic theory."--Melissa Schwartzberg, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "Beerbohm's contribution can be considered obligatory reading for political philosophers who occupy themselves with questions related to the moral implication of citizens in policy writing and execution by their elected officials and with democratic agency in general."--Jos Leys, Ethical Perspectives "Combining wide learning with a tenacious and undogmatic focus on the problems of democratic citizenship, Beerbohm has written a book that identifies fresh solutions to some important problems and should become a key reference point for democratic theorists."--Matthew Festenstein, Political Studies Review

Author Bio

Eric Beerbohm is professor of government and director of graduate fellowships for the Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University.