The End of Representative Politics

Representative politics is in crisis. Trust in politicians is at an all-time low. Fewer people are voting or joining political parties, and our interest in parliamentary politics is declining fast. Even oppositional and radical parties that should be benefitting from public disenchantment with politics are suffering. But different forms of political activity are emerging to replace representative politics: instant politics, direct action, insurgent politics. We are leaving behind traditional representation, and moving towards a politics without representatives. In this provocative new book, Simon Tormey explores the changes that are underway, drawing on a rich range of examples from the Arab Spring to the Indignados uprising in Spain, street protests in Brazil and Turkey to the emergence of new initiatives such as Anonymous and Occupy. Tormey argues that the easy assumptions that informed our thinking about the nature and role of parties, and party based democracy have to be rethought. We are entering a period of fast politics, evanescent politics, a politics of the street, of the squares, of micro-parties, pop-up parties, and demonstrations. This may well be the end of representative politics as we know it, but an exciting new era of political engagement is just beginning.

Representative politics is in crisis. Trust in politiciansis at an all-time low. Fewer people are voting or joining politicalparties, and our interest in parliamentary politics is decliningfast. Even oppositional and radical parties that should bebenefitting from public disenchantment with politics aresuffering.But different forms of political activity are emerging toreplace representative politics: instant politics, direct actioninsurgent politics. We are leaving behind traditionalrepresentation, and moving towards a politics withoutrepresentatives. In this provocative new book, Simon Tormeyexplores the changes that are underway, drawing on a rich range ofexamples from the Arab Spring to the Indignados uprising in Spainstreet protests in Brazil and Turkey to the emergence of newinitiatives such as Anonymous and Occupy.Tormey argues that the easy assumptions that informed our thinkingabout the nature and role of parties, and 'party baseddemocracy' have to be rethought. We are entering a period offast politics, evanescent politics, a politics of the street, ofthe squares, of micro-parties, pop-up parties, and demonstrations.This may well be the end of representative politics as we know itbut an exciting new era of political engagement is justbeginning.

Acknowledgements viIntroduction 11 Contours of a 'Crisis' 152 Locating 'Representative Politics' 373 Are We Becoming Unrepresentable? 594 Is the Party Over? 835 Citizens against Representation 1056 Democracy after Representation 125Notes 150References 152Index 160