The Middle Class and Democracy in Socio-Historical Perspective

Abstract

Introduction: Capitalism, the Middle Classes, and the Transition to Democracy Prologue: An Ideal Type Definition of Democracy I. The Ideal-Type Characteristics of the Democratic Political Process: Participation, Power Limitation, and Law II. The Ideal Type Social Structure Supportive of Democracy - The Majority Middle III. The Rational World - View As An Ideal-Type Characteristic of Democracy I. Aristotle's Theory of the Middle and Democracy Aristotle's Theory of Balance and Form of Government Aristotle's Conception of the Best Practical Form of Government: The Mixed Polity Based on a Majority Middle The Mixed Polity: A Form of Democracy with Elements of Oligarchy-of-the-Rich and Democracy-of-the-Poor The Problems of Oligarchy and Tyranny in The Mixed Polity Oligarchy and Aristocracy The Paradox of the Oligarchic Upper How Much Oligarchy is Acceptable to the Middle and the Poor A Note on Tyranny Conclusion II. The Unique Link Between The Commercial Classes and Democracy: Ancient Greece in a Weber-Marx Perspective The Rise of Commercial Economics The Rise of the Merchants as a The Development of Money and Secular Law The Low Status and Minimal Power of the Merchants in The Ancient Empires The Anomalous Events in Ancient Greece The Development of Merchant Activity and a Commercial Culture in the Ionic Greek City-States The Rise of Legal Authority and Government by Law The Scientific World-View The Rational World-View and Its Political Implications Rational vs. Irrational Legitimacy Money, Private Property, and The Separation of the Economic and Political Spheres III. The Link Between the Commercial Classes and Democracy in Post-Feudal Europe: From the Polis to the Nation State and Representative Democracy The Rise of the Monarchy and the Commercial Classes Protestantism and the Legitimation of Capitalism The Commercial Classes Revolt Against Feudalism and Monarchy Government by Law Parliament: From Standestaat to Representative Democracy The Commercial Gentry Replace and Knights at the Regional Parliaments Laissez Faire Economics and the Power-Limited State Oligarchy, Tyranny, and Democracy The Nation States 1. The Dutch Republic: Guild Democracy 2. England: Triumph of the Gentry 3. U.S.A.: The English Revolution Continued 4. France: Stalemate of Classes 5. Germany: Feudalism Triumphant Balance and Political Culture IV. Industrial-Capitalism and Democracy From Trade-Capitalism to Industrial-Capitalism The Decline of the Commercial Gentry The Emergence of the Small Business Middle Classes The Heroic Era of the Artisans and Yoeman Farmers The Decline of Artisan Production and the Emergence of the Small Business Middle Classes The Industrial-Capitalist Working V. Industrial-Capitalism and the Socialist Reaction Pre-Industrial Socialism: Agrarian-Communal vs. Statist The Levellers and the Sans Culottes The French Revolution and Pre-Industrial Socialism The Statist Trend in French Socialism Industrialism and Socialism Marxism and Statism Democratic Socialism: The Working as An Electoral Base The Industrial Working as a Majority VI. The Industrial-Capitalist World and the Fascist Convulsion From Trade-Capitalist Democracy to Industrial-Capitalist Democracy The Fascist Convulsion The Great Depression and Fascism The Constellations of Germany and Italy The Political Culture of Fascism Some Comments on the Marxist Interpretation of Fascism VII. Industrialism and Communism Marx Alters his Theory of the Progressive Stages of History The Structure of Russia Before the Revolution The Structure of Russia Under Communism Communist Societies and The Inhibition of Small Business Classes The Rise of the Working in Communist Societies The Working Classes and their Discontents in Communist Nations The peasants and Communism The Middle Classes and Democracy in Communist Nations The Middle Classes and Consumerism in Communist Societies The International Youth Culture as Part of the Middle Classes Communism as a Development Stage in the Transition from Traditional to Modern Society The Rejection of the Business Economy and the Failure of the Bureaucratized Command Economy The Lack of the Bourgeois Revolution and the Absence of the Enlightenment Legal Democratic Institutions VIII. Industrial-Capitalism and Legal Representative Democracy Triumphant (1945-65): The Main Line of History Fascism Defeated, Democracy Established Communism as a Rival Model Industrial-Capitalism and Legal Representative Democracy Industrial-Capitalism and Its Carrying Classes American Industrial-Capitalism Evolves to a Level of Technological Virtuosity IX. High Technology Industrial-Capitalism as a Mode of Production High Technology Industrial Capitalism The Technocratic and Bureaucratic Alterations in the Structure of the Economy Who Owns the Mode of Production X. The Structure Engendered by High Technology Industrial Capitalism The Rise of the Upper and the Middle Class: The Managers, Technocrats, Service Workers, White Collar Cerical Workers and Professionals: Mills' New Middle Class The Decline of the Industrial Working The Growth of an Underclass The Continuing Existence and Influence of the Business Classes Conclusions on Balance: Maintaining a Middle Majority on the High Technology Industrial-Capitalist Base XI. Excursus on the Third World and Its Balance The Death of Communism and Development in The Third World The Aristotelian View: Balance and Political Structure The Rise of the Middle Classes in Developing Nations The Petite Bourgeoisie The Middle The Majority Poor and Aristotle's Dictum Aristotelian Policies for the Developing Nations Policies for Nurturing a Middle Policies for Upgrading the Poor Integrating the Left-Intellectuals into the Economy and Polity Policies Concerning the Aristocrats and the Rich The Subordination of the Military Beyond Aristotle: The Establishment of a Modern Capitalist Economy Third World Economies in the Global World System The Pro-Active, Directive State A Weberian Dimension: Nativist Movements and Charismatic Leaders Beyond Marz: Stabilizing the Legal-Democratic State Through Education and the Legitimation of Law Epilogue: The Structural and Cultural Bases of Democracy Part I: The Link Between Free Enterprise and Democracy Constitutional Law and Legal Authority The Rational-Scientific World View and Democracy Electoral Participation, Civil Society, and Power Limitations Part II: Balance and Democracy: Middle Majority and Democracy Policies Concerning the Poor, The Rich Policies for the Expansion of the Middle The Enlightenment Theorists Consonance and Non-Consonance Nativist Movements Civilizational Nexus Classes as Carriers of Culture The Global Village: World Culture Notes Bibliography Index