Democracy as the Political Empowerment of the Citizen: Direct-Deliberative e-Democracy conceptualizes the age-old idea of democracy in a new way. The fundamental idea underlying this new conceptualization is the now-neglected notion of the people's sovereignty. Although democracy means rule by the people, the people cannot rule unless they are empowered to do so. In order to introduce the notion of sovereignty, and its direct exercise into the liberal-democratic conceptual scheme, this book attempts to 'individuate' the idea of the people's sovereignty via individuating the notion of the political empowerment of the people. Using the existing theoretical framework of American liberal democracy as its theoretical grounds, Majid Behrouzi argues that present-day American society has at its disposal the material and technological means and infrastructures (e.g. 'e-technologies'), and the political-cultural institutions needed for the actualization of the idea of the direct exercise of the individuated sovereign powers. Together with its companion volume, Democracy as the Political Empowerment of the People: The Betrayal of an Ideal, this book is essential to scholars interested in the evolution of modern democracy and the future of politics and political technology.

"Attempts to resolve the theoretical problems of Rousseau's general will through the technical means provided by various modern technologies. [Behrouzi] concludes that direct-deliberative e-democracy can technologically resolve 'some of the important questions that have dogged political philosophy for the longest time.' Clearly written and accessible to undergraduates. Highly Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above." - CHOICE