Description
Book SynopsisCynthia Kaufman is the Director of the Vasconcellos Institute for Democracy in Action at De Anza College, USA, where she also teaches Philosophy. She is the author of two books on social change
Getting Past Capitalism: History,
Vision, Hope (2012) and
Ideas for Action: Relevant Theory for Radical Change (2003). She is a lifelong activist for social change and has worked on issues such as tenants' rights, police abuse, union organizing, international politics, and most recently climate change.
Trade ReviewEveryone with a conscience should read
Holding Power to Account. In this short book, Cynthia Kaufman provides both an ethics and a politics for today’s interdependent world. To live a responsible life, we must work together to create systems of “accountability democracy” to constrain those with economic and political power. * Fred Block, Research Professor of Sociology, University of California at Davis, USA *
This book highlights democracy’s struggle to adapt its mechanisms of accountability to the increasing complexity of power in the modern world. Its focus on holding power to account is particularly fruitful in a time of growing executive power, outsourced services, tax havens and defunct complaints procedures. The book provides a sparkling conceptual clarification of accountability and then explores practical and effective mechanisms for use by NGO’s, campaigning organisations and political parties. * Ricardo Blaug, Associate Professor of Democracy and Political Theory, University of Westminster, UK *
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. States of Irresponsibility: Rana Plaza, Accountability, and Power 2. The Ethics of Accountability Democracy 3. The Politics of Accountability Democracy 4. The Powers that need to be held to Account 5. Accountability 6. Developing Effective Accountability Mechanisms 7. Building Accountability Democracy 8. Acting Well in a Traumatized World Index
