The Death of Communal Liberty: A History of Freedom in a Swiss Mountain Canton

By Benjamin R. Barber

Book Overview

Switzerland today is faced with a profound dilemma--its village life is dying, a casualty of the collision between communal norms and the need for national survival in an industrial, urbanizing world. Benjamin Barber traces the origins and evolution of communal liberty in the group of alpine villages that make up modern Canton Graubunden, and recreates their poignant thousand-year struggle to maintain this tradition in the face of a hostile environment, hierarchical feudal institutions, and European power polities. Originally published in 1974. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0691075549
• ISBN13: 9780691075549
• Release Date: April 1974
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Length: 314 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.

Customer Reviews

What is the Future of Direct Democracy?

Barber describes at great length the historical emergence of democracy in communities of the Swiss canton Graubuenden, tracing its origins back more than a thousand years. The book is writen in plain English although it is Barber's aim to fundamentally question the 'liberal constitutionalism' which today marks the household definition of democracy. Barber argues that capitalism and wealth have eroded much of the basic conditions that he considers requirements for effective direct democratic participation. However, he also points out that the particular historical path has also show that direct democratic systems are adaptable to new circumstances. The book is a good read for academics and students of democracy studies. It is also an interesting account of the Swiss democratic system giving much elaboration to institutions and procedures. Anybody interested in the historical emergence and present-day workings of direct democratic systems will enjoy this read.