Democracy and Its Institutions

Democracy rests on a delicate balance between two principles that may be called the rule of numbers and the rule of law. To ensure that the rule of law is not overwhelmed by the weight of numbers, democracy requires institutions. Examining democracy from an institutional perspective, this book studies such institutions as the Parliament, the courts of justice, and the systems of political parties, and brings out the contradictions between the ideals of democracy-such as equality and liberty-and the actual operation of government and politics. It introduces the reader to the distinction between law and custom, and between matters of right and matters of trust.