JOURNAL ARTICLE

Democracy in Darkness: Secrecy and Transparency in the Age of Revolutions.

  • Published In: French History, 2024, v. 38, n. 3. P. 370 1 of 3

  • Database: America: History and Life with Full Text 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Andress, David 3 of 3

Abstract

This article, titled "Democracy in Darkness: Secrecy and Transparency in the Age of Revolutions," examines the attempts by the political classes in the United States and France to move away from a default assumption of secrecy in the conduct of state business during the late 1780s and 1790s. The article highlights the challenges faced by both countries in achieving transparency in their political processes. It also explores the debate over the relationship between publicity and democratic representation, and the difficulties of operating a reflective system of representation in the social conditions of the 1790s. The article concludes by raising questions about the value of publicity in representative democracies and the need for public opinion to be based on truth. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:French History. 2024/09, Vol. 38, Issue 3, p370
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:0269-1191
  • DOI:10.1093/fh/crae024
  • Accession Number:180087997
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