The State of Democracy in America

In this wide-ranging assessment of democracy in America today, fifteen respected scholars of American politics chart the strengths and weaknesses of the nation's democratic mechanisms and outline the challenges that lie ahead. They focus not on specific policies or elections but on the quality of American political life, the representativeness of its governing institutions, and the issues of racial and economic equity. The contributors cover a broad spectrum of the American political process. Topics include the extent and nature of political participation, the relevance of political parties, political fundraising and its policy consequences, demographic change and its likely effect on the national political agenda, and the future of racial politics. Others explore how representative Congress really is today, how the market economy affects public policy, the use of impeachment as a political weapon, and the degree of corporate influence on the political process. A final chapter explores the circumstances likely to shape policy agendas over the course of the twenty-first century. Taken together, these essays provide a clear picture of political evolution during the past fifty years and discuss possible problems and issues of the future. Written for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, this book is a thoughtful, well-documented, critical analysis of contemporary American democracy.

ISBN 0878408614   Volumes 1 ISBN13 9780878408610 (What's this?)   Weight (grammes) 522 Publisher Georgetown University Press   Published in Washington, DC Imprint Georgetown University Press   Series editor Tierney, John, Tierney, John Format Paperback   Series title Essential Texts in American Government Series Publication date 06 Aug 2001   Height (mm) 254 Library of Congress JK1726.S73   Width (mm) 178 DEWEY 321.80973   Spine width (mm) 17 DEWEY edition DC21   Academic level Undergraduate, Postgraduate Pages 250

		List of Figures
		List of Tables
		Preface
1		Politics and Policy for a New Century by Michael S. Dukakis
2		Introduction: Perspectives on an Evolving Democratic Experiment in a New Century (and Millennium) by William Crotty
3		Political Mobilization in America by M. Margaret Conway
4		Public Support for the Party System in the United States by Diana Owen and Jack Dennis and Casey A. Klofstad
5		Party Relevance over Time by William Crotty
6		Does Congress Represent the American People? by Donald R. Matthews
7		The Enduring Dilemma of Political Tolerance in American Political History by George E. Marcus
8		The Future of Racial Politics: Beyond Fatalism by Edward G. Carmines and Paul M. Sniderman
9		The Limits of the Market: New Examinations of an Old Problem by Betty Glad
10		Crossroads Blues: Business Representation, Public Policy, and Economic Growth for the Twenty-First Century by Cathie Jo Martin
11		Blowing Smoke: Impeachment, the Clinton Presidency, and the Political Economy by Thomas Ferguson
12		The Battle between Issue Expanders and Containers: The Elderly behind the Wheel in the Twenty-First Century by Roger W. Cobb and Joseph F. Coughlin
		Contributors
		Index

"A thoughtful, challenging, and critical analysis of contemporary American democracy." -- Democratization

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