Democracy was denigrated as mob rule by some philosophers and aristocrats. Yet nowadays it occupies a preeminent place in the political imagination: democracy is widely regarded as essential to political legitimacy and has been serving as the rallying cry for reformist political movements across the globe. But there remain political and philosophical debates concerning the right to democracy and the value of democratic participation. This course engages students to rethink the value of democracy by exploring such topics as the challenge of meritocracy, the importance of political participation, the contributions and limits of public deliberation, and whether or not capitalism undermines democracy.