Taking democracy seriously demands that we identify and address the danger of oligarchy

Republican political theory has undergone a renaissance in recent years. Philip Pettit and Quentin Skinner have identified a certain understanding of liberty as central to republicanism and Pettit argues that we must make democratic institutions ‘contestatory’ to secure liberty in this sense. John McCormick, drawing on Machiavelli, argues that we need to be alert to the dangers of oligarchy and consider innovative institutions to check this danger. Stuart White argues that both perspectives should inform our approach to democratic renewal.