1967 Fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences.1962 Dahl’s book Who Governs? is awarded the 1962 Woodrow Wilson Foundation Book Award.1960 American Academy of Arts and Sciences.1955–1956 Fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. Over his career, Dahl received many prestigious awards and prizes. ĭahl was married to Mary Bartlett until her passing in 1970, and then to Ann Sale, a Presbyterian. ĭahl served as president of the American Political Science Association in 1966/67. Dahl was departmental chair from 1957 to 1962. He was Eugene Meyer Professor of Political Science from 1955 to 1964, and Sterling Professor from 1964 to 1986. The position became permanent, and Dahl remained at Yale his entire career, until his retirement in 1986. Īfter World War II, Dahl returned to Yale in 1946, where he was offered a temporary position teaching American government. He led a platoon that took part in a major offensive in November 1944. He served in Europe during World War II, was the leader of a small reconnaissance platoon in an infantry regiment, and earned a Bronze Star. Īfter receiving his Ph.D., Dahl worked in the government in Washington DC and then volunteered for a spell in the US army. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington in 1936 and his Ph.D. His father Peter came from a Norwegian family, while his mother Vera came from a Protestant American background. By virtue of the cogency, clarity, and veracity of his portrayal of some of the key characteristics of realizable-ideal democracy, as well as his descriptive analysis of the dynamics of modern pluralist-democracy, he is considered one of the greatest theorists of democracy in history.ĭahl was born in Inwood, Iowa, on December 17, 1915. In addition to his work on the descriptive theory of democracy, he was long occupied with the formulation of the constituent elements of democracy considered as a theoretical but realizable ideal. He is the most important scholar associated with the pluralist approach to describing and understanding both city and national power structures. An originator of "empirical theory" and known for advancing behavioralist characterizations of political power, Dahl's research focused on the nature of decision making in actual institutions, such as American cities. He established the pluralist theory of democracy-in which political outcomes are enacted through competitive, if unequal, interest groups-and introduced " polyarchy" as a descriptor of actual democratic governance. Human and civil rights: Democratic governments shall protect the rights of their citizens in the understanding that these are inalienable, such as life, liberty, justice, and dignity.Robert Alan Dahl ( / d ɑː l/ Decem– February 5, 2014) was an American political theorist and Sterling Professor of Political Science at Yale University. Participation of citizens: As democracies are supposed to serve the people, it is the citizen's right and responsibility to participate in political affairs, whether by vote or by the system established in a Constitution.Įquality: Every person is born equal therefore, each shall be treated and attended to equally, as no citizen holds more rights than another, and the law equally judges all. Rule of Law: The law shall be protected and enforced by the government and the people, as no one is above it, in the understanding that the law maintains political, social, and economic order. For example, a country could have free and fair elections and a state-controlled media, so they have characteristics of both a democratic and authoritarian country and don't sit on either side of the spectrum. What is important to understand is that there is a spectrum between democracy and authoritarianism. However, there are some characteristics that most people agree are essential to be considered a democracy, like the principles of democracy we discuss in the next section. But, the meaning of democracy can be a little tricky to explain because there is no set definition that everyone agrees on. Generally, most people would say that a country where the people have a say in how they are governed is a democracy. After all, we always want to participate in matters concerning our well-being.īut how did it come to be? Why do some people criticise Democracy? After reading this explanation, you'll be able not only to recognise democracies as they are but will have the tools to evaluate how they should be. Moreover, Democracy allows you to decide on national affairs and voice your opinions on policies. As the model system for the people's participation, it makes sense. Most people value living in a democratic state.
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