Books About What Makes Democracy Work Between Elections

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay argue for the proposed US Constitution. The essays on factions and the separation of powers let a reader examine how the authors expected institutions to handle conflict after the people chose representatives. Read them as a historical argument about the conditions of self-government.

Michael J. Sandel reads American political argument through debates about whether citizens need shared concerns and responsibilities. His account of economic policy helps show why a dispute over the terms of work can also be about what people are able to do together. Choose it to connect democratic life with institutions that are seldom thought of as political.