Cengage Advantage Books: The Irony of Democracy An Uncommon Introduction to American Politics

by Dye, Thomas R.; Zeigler, Harmon

• ISBN13: 9780534601669
• ISBN10: 0534601669
• Edition: 13th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-07-11
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

1. The Irony of Democracy. 2. The Founding Fathers: The Nation's First Elite. 3. The Evolution of American Elites. 4. Elites in America. 5. Masses in America. 6. Elite-Mass Communication. 7. Political Parties and Ideologies. 8. Elections, Money, and the Myths of Democracy. 9. Organized Interests: Defenders of the Status Quo. 10. The Presidency. 11. The Bureaucratic Elite. 12. Congress: The Legislative Elite. 13. Courts: Elites in Black Robes. 14. American Federalism: Elites in States and Communities. 15. Elite Response to Mass Protest. 16. Public Policy: How Elites Make Decisions. Epilogue: What Can Students Do? Appendix: The Constitution of the United States of America. Index.

Table of Contents

To the Student	xv
To the Instructor	xvii
The Irony of Democracy	1	(22)
The Meaning of Elitism	2	(3)
The Meaning of Democracy	5	(1)
Elitism in a Democracy	6	(5)
Focus: Mass Distrust of America's Elite	8	(3)
The Meaning of Pluralism	11	(2)
How Elitism and Pluralism Differ	13	(1)
Elite and Mass Threats to Democracy	14	(6)
Focus: Mass Views of Elite Governance	17	(1)
Focus: Terrorism's Threat to Democracy	18	(2)
An Elitist Theory of Democracy	20	(3)
Notes	21	(1)
Selected Readings	22	(1)
The Founding Fathers: The Nation's First Elite	23	(34)
Elites and Masses in the New Nation	24	(1)
Elite Preferences: Inspiration for a New Constitution	25	(4)
Formation of a National Elite	29	(4)
Elite Consensus in 1787	33	(2)
An Elite in Operation: Conciliation and Compromise	35	(4)
The Constitution as Elitist Document	39	(5)
Elitism and the Structure of the National Government	44	(6)
Focus: James Madison: Suppressing Majority ``Factions''	48	(2)
Ratification: An Exercise in Elite Political Skills	50	(7)
Summary	53	(1)
Notes	54	(1)
Selected Readings	54	(3)
The Evolution of American Elites	57	(32)
Hamilton and the Nation's First Public Policies	58	(2)
Focus: Mass Ignorance of American Political History	59	(1)
Rise of the Jeffersonians	60	(2)
Republicans in Power: The Stability of Public Policy	62	(2)
Rise of the Western Elites	64	(1)
Elite Cleavage: The Civil War	65	(4)
Rise of the New Industrial Elite	69	(5)
Liberal Establishment: Reform as Elite Self-Interest	74	(2)
Vietnam: Elite Failure to Lead	76	(4)
The Gulf War: Elite Leadership Restored	80	(2)
Iraq: Elite Objectives Unclear	82	(7)
Summary	84	(2)
Notes	86	(1)
Selected Readings	86	(3)
Elites in America	89	(30)
The Concentration of Corporate Power	90	(3)
The Global Elites	93	(7)
Focus: Corporate Merger Mania	94	(6)
Corporate Elites	100	(1)
Government Elites	101	(6)
Focus: Greed in the Boardroom	102	(2)
Focus: The Bush Restoration	104	(3)
Elite Policy-Making Institutions	107	(1)
Elite Recruitment: Getting to the Top	107	(4)
The Liberal Establishment	111	(1)
Conservative Restraint	112	(7)
Focus: Elite Attitudes Toward Mass Governance	113	(1)
Summary	114	(1)
Notes	115	(1)
Selected Readings	116	(3)
Masses in America	119	(32)
Elite Gains, Mass Losses	120	(6)
Inequality in America	126	(2)
Mass Disaffection from Politics	128	(3)
Antidemocratic Attitudes Among the Masses	131	(4)
Focus: Rally 'Round the Flag, 9/11	131	(4)
Are the Masses Becoming More Democratic?	135	(2)
Mass Political Ignorance	137	(4)
Focus: Mass Confidence in American Institutions	138	(3)
Mass Political Apathy	141	(1)
The Dangers of Mass Activism	142	(3)
Elite Repression	145	(6)
Summary	148	(1)
Notes	149	(1)
Selected Readings	150	(1)
Elite-Mass Communication	151	(28)
The News Makers	151	(4)
The Media's Political Functions	155	(3)
Bashing America for Fun and Profit	158	(3)
Liberal Bias in Television News	161	(3)
Focus: The Hollywood Liberals	161	(3)
Focus: Cracks in the Media Elite?	164	(1)
Bias and Slander: Freedoms of the Press	164	(2)
Media Campaigns	166	(4)
Media Coverage of Presidential Elections	170	(1)
Assessing Media Impact	171	(8)
Summary	175	(1)
Notes	176	(1)
Selected Readings	176	(3)
Political Parties and Ideologies	179	(24)
The Responsible Party Model in Disarray	180	(1)
Democratic and Republican Parties: What's the Difference?	181	(3)
Liberal and Conservative Labels	184	(3)
Declining Mass Attachments to Parties	187	(1)
Realignment or Dealignment?	187	(4)
Focus: Mass Perceptions of the Parties	190	(1)
Presidential Primaries and the Deterioration of Parties	191	(4)
Focus: The Democratic Presidential Primaries, 2004	194	(1)
Political Parties as Oligarchies	195	(3)
Focus: Where the Parties Get Their Money	197	(1)
Independent and Third-Party Politics	198	(5)
Summary	201	(1)
Notes	202	(1)
Selected Readings	202	(1)
Elections, Money, and the Myths of Democracy	203	(30)
The Myth of the Policy Mandate	204	(1)
The Myth of the Policy-Oriented Voter	205	(1)
The Group Basis of Voting	206	(2)
The Economic Basis of Voting	208	(1)
Candidate Image Voting	209	(1)
Focus: Images of Bush and Kerry, 2004	210	(1)
Money Drives Elections	210	(9)
Focus: Dirty Politics	211	(7)
Focus: How Fat Cats Evade Campaign Finance Reform	218	(1)
Democracy Versus the Electoral College	219	(5)
Focus: Bush Versus Kerry, 2004	220	(3)
Focus: Values and the Vote	223	(1)
Staying Home on Election Day	224	(2)
Elections as Symbolic Reassurance	226	(7)
Summary	230	(1)
Notes	231	(1)
Selected Readings	232	(1)
Organized Interests: Defenders of the Status Quo	233	(20)
Interest Groups: Democratic or Elitist?	234	(1)
The Business, Professional, and Class Bias of Interest Groups	235	(4)
How Well Do Groups Represent Members?	239	(4)
Focus: Leaders and Followers---The American Association of Retired Persons	241	(2)
Lobbying: How Organized Interests Influence Government	243	(4)
Focus: Washington's Most Powerful Lobbies	246	(1)
PAC Power	247	(1)
Conservative Influence of Organizations	248	(5)
Focus: Payback: Money and Prescription Drugs	250	(1)
Summary	250	(1)
Notes	251	(1)
Selected Readings	252	(1)
The Presidency	253	(36)
The President as Symbolic Leader	253	(3)
The Presidency and the Masses	256	(4)
Focus: Rating Presidents	259	(1)
The President's Formal Powers	260	(6)
Commander in Chief	266	(5)
Intelligence and the Presidency	271	(3)
The Clinton Legacy	274	(6)
Focus: Sex, Lies, and Impeachment	279	(1)
George W., in His Father's Footsteps	280	(4)
Watergate and the Limits of Presidential Power	284	(5)
Summary	286	(1)
Notes	287	(1)
Selected Readings	287	(2)
The Bureaucratic Elite	289	(34)
Sources of Bureaucratic Power	290	(2)
Focus: Mass Attitudes Toward Washington Bureaucracies	292	(1)
Organization of the Washington Bureaucracy	292	(3)
Presidential Control of the Bureaucracy	295	(4)
Focus: Bureaucratic Maneuvers	298	(1)
The Budget Maze	299	(4)
Elite Fiscal Responsibility?	303	(4)
Tax Politics	307	(1)
Bureaucratic Power, Iron Triangles, and Revolving Doors	308	(4)
The Regulatory Quagmire	312	(5)
Focus: The Fed: Money Is Too Important to Be Left to Elected Officials	312	(5)
Controlling the Bureaucracy: Congress and the Courts	317	(6)
Summary	319	(1)
Notes	320	(1)
Selected Readings	320	(3)
Congress: The Legislative Elite	323	(36)
The Elite Bias of Congressional Recruitment	324	(7)
Focus: Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Leader	328	(3)
Whom Does Congress Really Represent?	331	(2)
Congress in Disrepute	333	(4)
The Elaborate Procedures of Legislative Elites	337	(7)
Elites Within Elites: The Congressional Establishment	344	(4)
Conflict and Consensus: Voting in Congress	348	(4)
Focus: Bill Frist, M.D., Leading the Senate	351	(1)
Congress and the President: An Unstable Balance of Power	352	(7)
Focus: Is ``Congressional Ethics'' an Oxymoron?	353	(4)
Summary	357	(1)
Notes	357	(1)
Selected Readings	358	(1)
Courts: Elites in Black Robes	359	(26)
Judicial Review as an Elitist Principle	360	(1)
The Making of a Supreme Court Justice	361	(3)
Focus: Senate Confirmation as Sleazy Spectacle	364	(1)
The Special Style of Judicial Policy Making	364	(3)
The Structure of the Federal Court System	367	(3)
The Jurisdiction of the Federal Court System	370	(1)
Judicial Power: Activism versus Self-Restraint	371	(4)
Focus: ``Make It a Federal Crime!''	372	(3)
Supreme Court Politics	375	(5)
Focus: The Supreme Court Chooses a President	376	(2)
Focus: The Supreme Court and Abortion	378	(2)
Do the Courts Rule the Nation?	380	(5)
Summary	381	(1)
Notes	382	(1)
Selected Readings	383	(2)
American Federalism: Elites in States and Communities	385	(26)
Federalism: The Original Division of Power Between Nation and States	386	(3)
Power Flows to the National Elite	389	(2)
Money and Power	391	(1)
The Evolution of American Federalism	391	(4)
Devolution: Federalism Revived?	395	(2)
Mass Influence in the States	397	(4)
Focus: Arnold: From Bodybuilder to Superstar to Governor	400	(1)
Elite Structures in the States	401	(3)
Focus: Corporate Elite Structures in the States	403	(1)
The Old-Community Economic Elites	404	(1)
The New-Community Political Elites	405	(6)
Summary	407	(1)
Notes	408	(1)
Selected Readings	409	(2)
Elite Response to Mass Protest	411	(28)
The History of Black Subjugation	412	(2)
Twentieth-Century Elite Attitude Change	414	(3)
Creative Disorder	417	(2)
Racial Inequality and Affirmative Action	419	(6)
Focus: ``Diversity'' in Higher Education	423	(2)
Elite Versus Mass Response to Civil Rights	425	(1)
Feminism in America	426	(3)
Women and Work	429	(3)
Feminism and Elitism	432	(7)
Focus: Elites, Masses, and Sexual Harassment	434	(2)
Summary	436	(1)
Notes	437	(1)
Selected Readings	437	(2)
Public Policy: How Elites Make Decisions	439	(10)
Public Policy as Elite Preference	439	(7)
Focus: The Elite Think Tanks	444	(2)
Agenda Setting and ``Nondecisions''	446	(3)
Summary	447	(1)
Selected Readings	448	(1)
Epilogue What Can Students Do?	449	(4)
Appendix The Constitution of the United States of America	453	(22)
Index	475