Title: Review of Persuasion, Power and Polity
Review: Original. Rewarding. Accessible. diZerega's book is original because it dissects Robert Dahl's egalitarian critique of American democracy and convincingly refutes it. It's rewarding because each chapter contains nuggets of insight that stem from seeing American democracy, not as the rule of a majority, but rather as the rule of unanimous consent. diZerega explores how a system of generally fair procedural rules generates the kind of agreement essential to a democracy that depends on `friendly persuasion.' Finally, the book is accessible because diZerega writes to be understood by the general public, as well as by scholars and activists.The book is a stunning application of the ideas of Hume, Michael Polanyi, and Hayek to democratic theory. It is first-rate and persuasive.William K. Muir, jr., University of California, Berkeley
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