Wesen und Wert der Demokratie

This text has been called "one of the great foundational writings on democracy". Kelsen, who was instrumental in drafting Austria's first democratic constitution in 1920, takes as his starting point the question of how individual freedom can be most effectively secured; he discusses the role of parliament and its relationship to the will of the people, the importance of the majority principle and the protection of minorities, of elite selection and the separation of powers. Kelsen's writing is a plea for democracy. In view of today's fatigue with democracy, this wise classic is more important than ever.