This page presents a list of the classic works on empirical democratic theory as compiled by faculty of the Center for the Study of Democracy at UC Irvine. These are works that are considered essenstial works on democracy by the Center's faculty. To qualify as a "classic" a books had to be published before 1990; the Center has prepared a separate list of "new classics" that have been published since 1990.

The Civic Culture : Political Attitudes and Democracy in Five Nations

Gabriel Abraham Almond, Sidney Verba / Paperback / Published 1989

Political Action: Mass Participation in Five Western Democracies

Samuel Barnes, Max Kaase et al./Sage Publications/Published 1979

The Calculus of Consent

James M. Buchanan / Paperback / Published 1962

American Voter

Angus Campbell / Paperback / Published 1980

Polyarchy; Participation and Opposition

Robert Alan Dahl/Paperback/Published 1971.

Democracy in Developing Countries

Larry Diamond, Juan Linz, and Seymour Martin Lipset/Paperback/(January 1988)/note: this references one book in a four volume series.

An Economic Theory of Democracy

Anthony Downs/Paperback/(June 1957)

Division and Cohesion

Harry Eckstein/Princeton University Press/Published 1966

Exit Voice and Loyalty : Responses to Decline in Firms, Organizations, and States

Albert O. Hirschman/Paperback/(September 1972)

The Silent Revolution in Europe : Integrational Change in Post-Industrial Societies

Ronald Inglehart / Paperback / Published 1993 (Originally 1977).

Democracies

Arend Lipjhart, Arend Lijphart; Paperback/ Published 1984

Politics and Markets

Charles E. Lindblom / Paperback / Published 1977

The Breakdown of Democratic Regimes

Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan (Editors) / 1978/ note: this references one book in a multivolume series.

Political Man: The Social Bases of Politics

Seymour Martin Lipset/ Paperback/(June 1981)

Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy: Lord and Peasant in the Making of the Modern World

Barrington, Jr. Moore/ Reprint Edition/Paperback, 559 pages

Participation and Democratic Theory

Carole Pateman / Paperback / February 1976

Contemporary Democracies

G. Bingham Powell/Reprint Edition/Paperback/Harvard Univ Press/1984

Capitalism and Social Democracy (Studies in Marxism and Social Theory)

Adam Przeworski / Paperback / Reprint edition (April 987)

Liberalism Against Populism : A Confrontation Between the Theory of Democracy and the Theory of Social Choice

William H. Riker/ Paperback/Reissue edition (August 1988)

Theory of Democracy Revisited Vol 1

Theory of Democracy Revisited Vol 2

Giovanni Sartori / Paperback / Published 1987

Transitions from Authoritarian Rule : Comparative Perspectives

Philippe C. Schmitter, et al / Paperback / Published 1986/note: this references one book in a multivolume series.

Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy (Harper Torchbooks)

Joseph A. Schumpeter / Paperback / Published 1962

Participation and Political Equality : A Seven-Nation Comparison

Sidney Verba, et al / Paperback / Published 1987

Participation in America : Political Democracy and Social Equality

Sidney Verba, Norman Nie / Paperback / Published 1987