LIBERALISM, POPULISM, AND COLLECTIVE CHOICE

This paper examines how the problem of cyclical majorities affects the logical structure of the liberal model of democracy. I argue that Rik er's (1982) defense of liberalism is unsatisfying in that it ultimatel y depends upon the hope that cycles are not common events. As an alter native solution, I propose that the assumptions of a properly construe d liberal model imply conditions that prohibit the occurrence of the v oter's paradox. I conclude that liberalism continues to survive despit e the fact that its internal structure depends upon the transitivity o f collective preferences, and that this fact in turn provides a theore tical foundation for pursuing more robust or ''populistic'' conception s of democracy.