ABSTRACT
Modern democracy may be thought of as a compound of the three variant forms of autonomy: communal, plural, and individual. The compound autonomy of democracy exhibits itself in norms, institutions, and procedures. As Kantian actors enter into a social contract, they presumably legislate in accordance with the categorical imperative and experience an autonomy which is at once individual and collective. For those who reject social contract theory and Kantian ethics, Utilitarianism provides an alternative which supports the same conclusion. Some democratic theorists have rejected the principle of autonomy because they identify it with an impractical form of constant direct democracy or with a subordination of the individual to the state, but others have come to appreciate its validity as a basic principle realized both on the private sphere of life and in representative government. To promote responsible and effective citizenship, democratic societies require a strong underlying "civic culture" embodying the democratic norm.
