Democratic Statecraft: Political Realism and Popular Power

‘Democratic Statecraft is a unique, timely, and well-argued book. Maloy turns to an intellectual tradition, the realpolitik tradition of ‘statecraft,’ which is usually associated with un- or antidemocratic principles and practice, as a resource in efforts to think beyond the overly idealistic horizons of contemporary democratic theory. Maloy successfully teases out the democratic implications of realism, skepticism, and pragmatism, and, as a result, articulates a civic realism that addresses both power and justice in ways that are appropriate for healthy democratic practice today. The book definitively sheds original light on theorists we think that we already know well and speaks directly to the heart of debates in contemporary democratic theory. There is really nothing out there like Democratic Statecraft in the literatures of political theory and intellectual history.’ John P. McCormick, University of Chicago

‘Maloy makes a major contribution to democratic theory in Democratic Statecraft. In this meticulously researched and well-argued work, he traces arguments about statecraft and reason of state from Plato through Reconstruction … Controversial and provocative, this book is sure to become required reading in graduate seminars and comprehensive exams and will surely lead to debates in the field. Summing up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, and research collections.’ M. B. Manjikian, Choice