Democracy as human rights : freedom and equality in the age of globalization

Is global democracy possible? This stimulating new study tackles this key question with originality and rigour. The most prominent institutional manifestations of this new concept - the UN, WTO, IMF, and World Bank - have been portrayed as cloistered anti-democratic institutions by anti-globalization activists, while proponents of globalization advocate reforming these institutions to make them more transparent. Michael Goodhart argues that both views fail to recognize the complex link between modern democracy and the sovereign state and the degree to which globalization challenges the modern conceptualization of democracy. Original and historically informed, "Democracy as Human Rights" delivers a carefully argued theory of a democracy in which traditional representative government is supported by global institutions designed to guarantee fundamental human rights. This is essential reading for all students and scholars of politics, international relations and of human rights in particular.