1987-88 Tanner Lecture
The Pseudodemocratization of the American Presidency
Robert Alan Dahl (17 December 1915 – 5 February 2014)[1] was the Sterling Professor emeritus of political science at Yale University, where he earned his Ph.D. in political science in 1940. He was past president of the American Political Science Association and an honorary member of Manuscript Society. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) degree from Harvard University in 1998. Dahl has been described as "the dean of American political scientists."[2]
Contents
Writings
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he was involved in an academic disagreement with C. Wright Mills over the nature of politics in the United States. Mills held that America's governments are in the grasp of a unitary and demographically narrow power elite. Dahl responded that there are many different elites involved, who have to work both in contention and in compromise with one another. If this is not democracy in a populist sense, Dahl contended, it is at least polyarchy (or pluralism). In perhaps his best known work, Who Governs? (1961), he examines the power structures (both formal and informal) in the city of New Haven, Connecticut, as a case study, and finds that it supports this view.[citation needed]From the late 1960s onwards, his conclusions were challenged by scholars such as G. William Domhoff and Charles E. Lindblom (a friend and colleague of Dahl).[citation needed]
In How Democratic Is the American Constitution? (2001) he argued that the constitution is much less democratic than it ought to be given that its authors were operating from a position of "profound ignorance" about the future. However, he adds that there is little or nothing that can be done about this "short of some constitutional breakdown, which I neither foresee nor, certainly, wish for."[citation needed]
Robert Dahl, Sterling Professor Emeritus in Political Science, passes away.
February 6, 2014
Robert Dahl, Sterling Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Senior Research Scientist in Sociology, passed away yesterday at the age of 98. He died peacefully, surrounded by his family.
Professor Dahl was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a corresponding member of the British Academy, an honorary member of the Manuscripts Society and a past President of the American Political Science Association. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D) degree from Harvard University. He was a Guggenheim fellow in 1950 and 1978 and a fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences in 1955–1956 and 1967. He was the 1995 recipient of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science. He holds numerous honorary doctorates in addition to other major awards in recognition of his remarkable standing in the profession.
Professor Dahl was born in Inwood, Iowa in 1915 and in 1926 moved with his family to Skagway, Alaska. His book, After the Goldrush: Growing up in Skagway, described his life and adventures growing up in the mountains and hills of Alaska.
He has written extensively and his publications include Congress and Foreign Policy; Politics, Economics and Welfare (with C. E. Lindblom); A Preface to Democratic Theory; Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City; After the Revolution?; Polyarchy; Size and Democracy (with E. R. Tufte); Dilemmas of Pluralist Democracy; A Preface to Economic Democracy; Controlling Nuclear Weapons: Democracy Versus Guardianship; Democracy and Its Critics; Toward Democracy: A Journey; On Democracy; How Democratic is the American Constitution?, Politica e virtu’ , La teoria democratica de nuovo secolo, and On Political Equality. His books have been published in multiple languages.
See him in an interview with Margaret Levi, editor of the Annual Review of Political and professor of Political Science at University of Washington here.
You can view his Department of Political Science at Yale University bio here.
Professor Dahl was a great teacher, mentor and friend. He will be missed.
Professor Dahl was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a corresponding member of the British Academy, an honorary member of the Manuscripts Society and a past President of the American Political Science Association. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D) degree from Harvard University. He was a Guggenheim fellow in 1950 and 1978 and a fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences in 1955–1956 and 1967. He was the 1995 recipient of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science. He holds numerous honorary doctorates in addition to other major awards in recognition of his remarkable standing in the profession.
Professor Dahl was born in Inwood, Iowa in 1915 and in 1926 moved with his family to Skagway, Alaska. His book, After the Goldrush: Growing up in Skagway, described his life and adventures growing up in the mountains and hills of Alaska.
He has written extensively and his publications include Congress and Foreign Policy; Politics, Economics and Welfare (with C. E. Lindblom); A Preface to Democratic Theory; Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City; After the Revolution?; Polyarchy; Size and Democracy (with E. R. Tufte); Dilemmas of Pluralist Democracy; A Preface to Economic Democracy; Controlling Nuclear Weapons: Democracy Versus Guardianship; Democracy and Its Critics; Toward Democracy: A Journey; On Democracy; How Democratic is the American Constitution?, Politica e virtu’ , La teoria democratica de nuovo secolo, and On Political Equality. His books have been published in multiple languages.
See him in an interview with Margaret Levi, editor of the Annual Review of Political and professor of Political Science at University of Washington here.
You can view his Department of Political Science at Yale University bio here.
Professor Dahl was a great teacher, mentor and friend. He will be missed.
Robert Dahl, Sterling Professor Emeritus in Political Science, passes away.
February 6, 2014
Robert Dahl, Sterling Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Senior Research Scientist in Sociology, passed away yesterday at the age of 98. He died peacefully, surrounded by his family.
Professor Dahl was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a corresponding member of the British Academy, an honorary member of the Manuscripts Society and a past President of the American Political Science Association. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D) degree from Harvard University. He was a Guggenheim fellow in 1950 and 1978 and a fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences in 1955–1956 and 1967. He was the 1995 recipient of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science. He holds numerous honorary doctorates in addition to other major awards in recognition of his remarkable standing in the profession.
Professor Dahl was born in Inwood, Iowa in 1915 and in 1926 moved with his family to Skagway, Alaska. His book, After the Goldrush: Growing up in Skagway, described his life and adventures growing up in the mountains and hills of Alaska.
He has written extensively and his publications include Congress and Foreign Policy; Politics, Economics and Welfare (with C. E. Lindblom); A Preface to Democratic Theory; Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City; After the Revolution?; Polyarchy; Size and Democracy (with E. R. Tufte); Dilemmas of Pluralist Democracy; A Preface to Economic Democracy; Controlling Nuclear Weapons: Democracy Versus Guardianship; Democracy and Its Critics; Toward Democracy: A Journey; On Democracy; How Democratic is the American Constitution?, Politica e virtu’ , La teoria democratica de nuovo secolo, and On Political Equality. His books have been published in multiple languages.
See him in an interview with Margaret Levi, editor of the Annual Review of Political and professor of Political Science at University of Washington here.
You can view his Department of Political Science at Yale University bio here.
Professor Dahl was a great teacher, mentor and friend. He will be missed.
Professor Dahl was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a corresponding member of the British Academy, an honorary member of the Manuscripts Society and a past President of the American Political Science Association. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D) degree from Harvard University. He was a Guggenheim fellow in 1950 and 1978 and a fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences in 1955–1956 and 1967. He was the 1995 recipient of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science. He holds numerous honorary doctorates in addition to other major awards in recognition of his remarkable standing in the profession.
Professor Dahl was born in Inwood, Iowa in 1915 and in 1926 moved with his family to Skagway, Alaska. His book, After the Goldrush: Growing up in Skagway, described his life and adventures growing up in the mountains and hills of Alaska.
He has written extensively and his publications include Congress and Foreign Policy; Politics, Economics and Welfare (with C. E. Lindblom); A Preface to Democratic Theory; Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City; After the Revolution?; Polyarchy; Size and Democracy (with E. R. Tufte); Dilemmas of Pluralist Democracy; A Preface to Economic Democracy; Controlling Nuclear Weapons: Democracy Versus Guardianship; Democracy and Its Critics; Toward Democracy: A Journey; On Democracy; How Democratic is the American Constitution?, Politica e virtu’ , La teoria democratica de nuovo secolo, and On Political Equality. His books have been published in multiple languages.
See him in an interview with Margaret Levi, editor of the Annual Review of Political and professor of Political Science at University of Washington here.
You can view his Department of Political Science at Yale University bio here.
Professor Dahl was a great teacher, mentor and friend. He will be missed.
Robert Dahl, Sterling Professor Emeritus in Political Science, passes away.
February 6, 2014
Robert Dahl, Sterling Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Senior Research Scientist in Sociology, passed away yesterday at the age of 98. He died peacefully, surrounded by his family.
Professor Dahl was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a corresponding member of the British Academy, an honorary member of the Manuscripts Society and a past President of the American Political Science Association. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D) degree from Harvard University. He was a Guggenheim fellow in 1950 and 1978 and a fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences in 1955–1956 and 1967. He was the 1995 recipient of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science. He holds numerous honorary doctorates in addition to other major awards in recognition of his remarkable standing in the profession.
Professor Dahl was born in Inwood, Iowa in 1915 and in 1926 moved with his family to Skagway, Alaska. His book, After the Goldrush: Growing up in Skagway, described his life and adventures growing up in the mountains and hills of Alaska.
He has written extensively and his publications include Congress and Foreign Policy; Politics, Economics and Welfare (with C. E. Lindblom); A Preface to Democratic Theory; Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City; After the Revolution?; Polyarchy; Size and Democracy (with E. R. Tufte); Dilemmas of Pluralist Democracy; A Preface to Economic Democracy; Controlling Nuclear Weapons: Democracy Versus Guardianship; Democracy and Its Critics; Toward Democracy: A Journey; On Democracy; How Democratic is the American Constitution?, Politica e virtu’ , La teoria democratica de nuovo secolo, and On Political Equality. His books have been published in multiple languages.
See him in an interview with Margaret Levi, editor of the Annual Review of Political and professor of Political Science at University of Washington here.
You can view his Department of Political Science at Yale University bio here.
Professor Dahl was a great teacher, mentor and friend. He will be missed.
Professor Dahl was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a corresponding member of the British Academy, an honorary member of the Manuscripts Society and a past President of the American Political Science Association. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D) degree from Harvard University. He was a Guggenheim fellow in 1950 and 1978 and a fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences in 1955–1956 and 1967. He was the 1995 recipient of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science. He holds numerous honorary doctorates in addition to other major awards in recognition of his remarkable standing in the profession.
Professor Dahl was born in Inwood, Iowa in 1915 and in 1926 moved with his family to Skagway, Alaska. His book, After the Goldrush: Growing up in Skagway, described his life and adventures growing up in the mountains and hills of Alaska.
He has written extensively and his publications include Congress and Foreign Policy; Politics, Economics and Welfare (with C. E. Lindblom); A Preface to Democratic Theory; Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City; After the Revolution?; Polyarchy; Size and Democracy (with E. R. Tufte); Dilemmas of Pluralist Democracy; A Preface to Economic Democracy; Controlling Nuclear Weapons: Democracy Versus Guardianship; Democracy and Its Critics; Toward Democracy: A Journey; On Democracy; How Democratic is the American Constitution?, Politica e virtu’ , La teoria democratica de nuovo secolo, and On Political Equality. His books have been published in multiple languages.
See him in an interview with Margaret Levi, editor of the Annual Review of Political and professor of Political Science at University of Washington here.
You can view his Department of Political Science at Yale University bio here.
Professor Dahl was a great teacher, mentor and friend. He will be missed.
Robert Dahl, Sterling Professor Emeritus in Political Science, passes away.
February 6, 2014
Robert Dahl, Sterling Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Senior Research Scientist in Sociology, passed away yesterday at the age of 98. He died peacefully, surrounded by his family.
Professor Dahl was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a corresponding member of the British Academy, an honorary member of the Manuscripts Society and a past President of the American Political Science Association. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D) degree from Harvard University. He was a Guggenheim fellow in 1950 and 1978 and a fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences in 1955–1956 and 1967. He was the 1995 recipient of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science. He holds numerous honorary doctorates in addition to other major awards in recognition of his remarkable standing in the profession.
Professor Dahl was born in Inwood, Iowa in 1915 and in 1926 moved with his family to Skagway, Alaska. His book, After the Goldrush: Growing up in Skagway, described his life and adventures growing up in the mountains and hills of Alaska.
He has written extensively and his publications include Congress and Foreign Policy; Politics, Economics and Welfare (with C. E. Lindblom); A Preface to Democratic Theory; Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City; After the Revolution?; Polyarchy; Size and Democracy (with E. R. Tufte); Dilemmas of Pluralist Democracy; A Preface to Economic Democracy; Controlling Nuclear Weapons: Democracy Versus Guardianship; Democracy and Its Critics; Toward Democracy: A Journey; On Democracy; How Democratic is the American Constitution?, Politica e virtu’ , La teoria democratica de nuovo secolo, and On Political Equality. His books have been published in multiple languages.
See him in an interview with Margaret Levi, editor of the Annual Review of Political and professor of Political Science at University of Washington here.
You can view his Department of Political Science at Yale University bio here.
Professor Dahl was a great teacher, mentor and friend. He will be missed.
Professor Dahl was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a corresponding member of the British Academy, an honorary member of the Manuscripts Society and a past President of the American Political Science Association. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D) degree from Harvard University. He was a Guggenheim fellow in 1950 and 1978 and a fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences in 1955–1956 and 1967. He was the 1995 recipient of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science. He holds numerous honorary doctorates in addition to other major awards in recognition of his remarkable standing in the profession.
Professor Dahl was born in Inwood, Iowa in 1915 and in 1926 moved with his family to Skagway, Alaska. His book, After the Goldrush: Growing up in Skagway, described his life and adventures growing up in the mountains and hills of Alaska.
He has written extensively and his publications include Congress and Foreign Policy; Politics, Economics and Welfare (with C. E. Lindblom); A Preface to Democratic Theory; Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City; After the Revolution?; Polyarchy; Size and Democracy (with E. R. Tufte); Dilemmas of Pluralist Democracy; A Preface to Economic Democracy; Controlling Nuclear Weapons: Democracy Versus Guardianship; Democracy and Its Critics; Toward Democracy: A Journey; On Democracy; How Democratic is the American Constitution?, Politica e virtu’ , La teoria democratica de nuovo secolo, and On Political Equality. His books have been published in multiple languages.
See him in an interview with Margaret Levi, editor of the Annual Review of Political and professor of Political Science at University of Washington here.
You can view his Department of Political Science at Yale University bio here.
Professor Dahl was a great teacher, mentor and friend. He will be missed.
Bibliography
The most well-known of Dahl's works include:- 1953 - Politics, Economics, and Welfare (with Charles E. Lindblom)
- 1956 - A Preface to Democratic Theory (new edition in 2006)
- 1957 - The Concept of Power
- 1957 - Decision-Making in a Democracy: The Supreme Court as a National Policy-Maker
- 1960 - Social science research on business: product and potential
- 1961 - Who Governs?: Democracy and Power in an American City
- 1963 - Modern Political Analysis
- 1966 - Political oppositions in Western Democracies
- 1968 - Pluralist democracy in the United States : conflict and consent
- 1970 - After the Revolution? : Authority in a good society
- 1971 - Polyarchy: Participation and Opposition
- 1973 - Size and Democracy (with Edward R. Tufte)
- 1983 - Dilemmas of Pluralist Democracy: Autonomy vs. Control
- 1985 - A Preface to Economic Democracy
- 1985 - Controlling Nuclear Weapons: Democracy versus Guardianship
- 1989 - Democracy and Its Critics
- 1997 - Toward Democracy - a Journey: Reflections, 1940-1997
- 1998 - On Democracy
- 2002 - How Democratic Is the American Constitution?
- 2003 - The Democracy Sourcebook. (An anthology edited by Robert A. Dahl, Ian Shapiro and José Antonio Cheibub)
- 2005 - After The Gold Rush
- 2006 - On Political Equality