Rethinking Democracy provides a unique insight into India's experience as the world's largest democracy. Covering democratic theory, the state, civil society, participation and the search for global justice, leading political theorist Rajni Kothari evaluates what this experience means for the very idea of democracy. Kothari powerfully demonstrates that we are at a juncture where democracy has failed, on a local and a global level. The promise of human emancipation has not been delivered and democratic ideals of justice and equality have failed to defeat the aggressive logic of capitalism. His acknowledgement of this disillusionment, however, allows him to search for a new decentralized and participatory democracy with freedom and environmental sustainability at its core. The culmination of Rajni Kothari's decades of political involvement, this book is a compelling analysis of where democracy went wrong.

Author Biography

Rajni Kothari is an internationally renowned scholar and activist. He founded the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) and Lokayan (Dialogue of the People). His previous publications include the seminal works Politics in India, Caste in Indian Politics, Footsteps into the Future, State against Democracy and Communalism in India.