The Shadow of Unfairness

A Plebeian Theory of Liberal Democracy

Jeffrey Edward Green

Confronts plutocracy as a permanent feature of any liberal-democratic regime
Shows how ordinary citizens experience democracy in second-class ways
Introduces numerous concepts to the democratic lexicon — "the shadow of unfairness," "plebeianism," "reasonable envy," "principled vulgarity," "extrapoliticism," "manyness," and "remove" — meant to advance the understanding and pursuit of contemporary liberal democracy

The Shadow of Unfairness

A Plebeian Theory of Liberal Democracy

Jeffrey Edward Green

Description

In this sequel to his prize-winning book,ÂThe Eyes of the People, Jeffrey Edward Green draws on philosophy, history, social science, and literature to ask what democracy can mean in a world where it is understood that socioeconomic status to some degree will always determine opportunities for civic engagement and career advancement. Under this shadow of unfairness, Green argues that the most advantaged class are rightly subjected to compulsory public burdens. And just as provocatively, he urges ordinary citizens living in polities permanently darkened by plutocracy to acknowledge their second-class status and the uncomfortable civic ethics that come with it — specifically an ethics whereby the pursuit of egalitarianism is informed, at least in part, by indignation, envy, uncivil modes of discourse, and even the occasional suspension of political care.

Deeply engaged in the history of political thought,ÂThe Shadow of UnfairnessÂis still first and foremost an effort to illuminate present-day politics. With the plebeians of ancient Rome as his muse, Green develops a plebeian conception of contemporary liberal democracy, at once disenchanted yet idealistic in its insistence that the Few-Many distinction might be enlisted for progressive purpose.

Green's analysis is likely to unsettle all sides of the political spectrum, but its focus looks beyond narrow partisan concerns and aims instead to understand what the ongoing quest for free and equal citizenship might require once it is accepted that our political and educational systems will always be tainted by socioeconomic inequality.

The Shadow of Unfairness

A Plebeian Theory of Liberal Democracy

Jeffrey Edward Green

Chapter 1: The Shadow of Unfairness and the Logic of Plebeianism
Chapter 2: Why Ordinary Citizenship is Second-Class Citizenship
Chapter 3: Reasonable Envy: The Heart of Plebeian Progressivism
Chapter 4: Learning How Not To Be Good: A Plebeian Perspective
Chapter 5: Solace for the Plebeian: The Idea of Extrapoliticism

The Shadow of Unfairness

A Plebeian Theory of Liberal Democracy

Jeffrey Edward Green

Author Information

Jeffrey Edward Green, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania

Jeffrey Edward Green is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania. His previous book, The Eyes of the People: Democracy in an Age of Spectatorship, was published in 2010.

The Shadow of Unfairness

A Plebeian Theory of Liberal Democracy

Jeffrey Edward Green

Reviews and Awards

"A strikingly original book, The Shadow of Unfairness confronts the structural injustice at the heart of liberal democracy with unusual honesty, and argues for a plebeian politics that is at once free of illusion and full of progressive potential. The book rings true even as it continually surprises. It's a distinctive and important contribution to democratic theory today." - Sharon Krause, Professor of Political Science, Brown University

"In this timely and original challenge to liberal democrats, a first-class theorist gives eloquent voice to the indignation of second-class citizens. Like it or not, nearly all of us are plebeians now, Green contends. The plutocracy overtaking our democracy is inescapable- but not, he insists, irresistible." - Dennis F. Thompson, Professor of Political Philosophy, Harvard University

"Here is democratic realism in a powerful, new, and discomfiting key. Green examines the felt experience of second-class citizenship and advocates for a theory of 'plebeian democracy.' Its defining elements are morally ambiguous and fall outside the thinking of traditional liberal democrats: indignation, reasonable envy, 'vulgarity', and demands for regulation and redress from the most advantaged. Steeped in historical analogues, Green charts an entirely original path toward the never entirely realizable promise of free and equal citizenship." - Nancy L. Rosenblum, Professor of Ethics in Politics and Government, Harvard University

"A remarkable combination of theoretical rigor and lyricism...Green is among our most original political thinkers and this book, a wonderful rumination on the existential predicament of our shared 'plebeian' fate, is an essential and provocative contribution." - Aziz Rana, Professor of Law, Cornell Law School

"Provocative, compelling, and sobering...Green's book bursts with theoretical insights into our present political condition.He has done a tremendous service by placing these concepts, categories, and responses on the agenda of democratic theory." - Contemporary Political Theory

"A wonderful book, full of insight and erudition that most significantly reminds us that plutocracy is the real enemy." - Review of Politics