The latest contribution to one of the most distinguished and important series in political thought in the world.

Pierre Rosanvallon is Professor and Chair of modern and contemporary political history at the Collège de France.

Preface; Introduction; Part I. Overseeing Democracy: 1. Vigilance, denunciation, evaluation; 2. The overseers; 3. The thread of history; 4. Legitimacy conflicts; Part II. The Sovereignty of Prevention: 5. From the right of resistance to complex sovereignty; 6. Self-critical democracies; 7. Negative politics; Part III. The People as Judge: 8. Historical references; 9. Almost legislators; 10. The preference for judgement; Part IV. Unpolitical Democracy: 11. The sense of powerlessness and symbols of depoliticization; 12. The populist temptation; 13. Lessons of unpolitical economy; 14. Conclusion: the modern mixed regime.