| Description |
1 online resource (viii, 267 pages) |
| Physical Medium |
polychrome |
| Description |
text file |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 239-257) and index. |
| Contents |
Exit And Public Voice In Representative Democracy -- Why Elections Fail To Ensure Accountability -- Appraising Radical And Conventional Electoral Reforms -- Public Expression In American Politics -- Glimpses Of The Deliberative Public -- The Citizen Panels Proposal -- The Political Impact Of Citizen Panels -- Electoral Experimentation. |
| Summary |
John Gastil challenges conventional assumptions about public opinion, elections, and political expression in this persuasive treatise on how to revitalize the system of representative democracy in the United States. Gastil argues that American citizens have difficulty developing clear policy interests, seldom reject unrepresentative public officials, and lack a strong public voice. Our growing awareness of a flawed electoral system is causing increased public cynicism and apathy. The most popular reforms, however, will neither restore public trust nor improve representation. Term limits and campaign finance reforms will increase turnover, but they provide no mechanism for improved deliberation and accountability. Building on the success of citizen juries and deliberative polling, Gastil proposes improving our current process by convening randomly selected panels of citizens to deliberate for several days on ballot measures and candidates. Voters would learn about the judgments of these citizen panels through voting guides and possibly information printed on official ballots. The result would be a more representative government and a less cynical public. America has a long history of experimentation with electoral systems, and the proposals in By Popular Demand merit serious consideration and debate. |
| Local Note |
eBooks on EBSCOhost EBSCO eBook Subscription Academic Collection - North America |
| Subject |
Political participation -- United States.
|
|
Political participation. |
|
United States. |
|
Elections -- United States.
|
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Elections. |
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Representative government and representation -- United States.
|
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Representative government and representation. |
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Forums (Discussion and debate)
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Forums (Discussion and debate) |
| Genre/Form |
Electronic books.
|
| Other Form: |
Print version: Gastil, John. By popular demand. Berkeley : University of California Press, ©2000 0520223640 (DLC) 99086065 (OCoLC)43115020 |
| ISBN |
9780520925007 (electronic book) |
|
0520925009 (electronic book) |
|
0585389853 (electronic book) |
|
9780585389851 (electronic book) |
|
1597345180 |
|
9781597345187 |
|
0520223640 (cloth) |
|
9780520223646 (cloth) |
|
0520223659 (paperback) |
|
