This study goes to the heart of ethics and politics. Strongly argued and lucidly written, the book makes a crucial distinction between two forms of democracy. The author defends constitutional democracy as potentially supportive of the ethical life, while he criticizes the plebiscitary form of democracyas undermiining man's moral nature. The book includes an extensive interpretation and refutation of the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and offers a new perspective on the American Constitution and the relationship between moral community and self-interest. This edition includes an important new section on the common good and the state of Western democracy. "One of the best books on the terrain where politics and morality precariously overlap, recommended vigorously to all who are concerned with the loss of political morality."―Peter Viereck "An excellent and much needed analysis, and synthesis, of the relation of man's moral life to democratic, constitutional self rule."―Vera Lex This study of democracy goes to the heart of ethics and politics. Offers a new perspective on the American Constitution and the relationship between moral community and self-interest. Claes G. Ryn is professor of politics at The Catholic University of America, where he was chairman of his department. He has published widely in the Untied States and abroad. His other books include Will, Imagination and Reason and The New Jacobinism . He gave the "Distinguished Foreign Scholar" lectures at Peking University. Ryn is chairman of the National Humanities Institute and editor of Humanitas . Used Book in Good Condition