The author of this collection has a reputation as a political theorist interested both in theories about how social institutions ought to work and theories about how they do work, and he is particularly concerned with the connections between the two. This volume brings together a substantial selection of his major articles and extended review essays, many of which originally appeared in journals or in edited books which have had only a very limited circulation. An introduction specially written for this volume sets each of the items in context and discusses developments since their original publication. The writings on democracy range from an extended essay on the justification for democratic procedures to a critical discussion of the claim that democracy inevitably produces too much inflation. Two articles on democracy in divided societies are also included. The pieces devoted to the study of power seek to show how analytical issues have significant implications for questions of substance such as how power is distributed within a society and how a political unit should decide whether or not to join some larger unit. Written in an accessible style which does not presuppose any prior knowledge of the field, the book should prove helpful to students as well as for the enthusiast with an interest in the central problems of political theory.

Book Information
ISBN 9780198272977
Author Brian Barry
Format Paperback
Page Count 340
Imprint Clarendon Press
Publisher Oxford University Press