A strong defence of democracy: Introduction to a symposium on Cristina Lafont's Book 'Democracy without Shortcuts'

The democratic world, the one in which the claim that all those affected by decisions should also be equally involved in the process of legislation on which these decisions are based prevailed, is vanishing. This historical legacy, as we are dramatically reminded in the light of the current economic, financial and pandemic developments could be lost for ever. Cristina Lafont's book "Democratic Shortcuts" seems to have been written in this spirit. It is concerned with nothing less than defending an idea of democracy that can be described as normatively desirable and empirically feasible. The introduction briefly introduces the current debate and the book and highlights some points of criticism.