American Democracy in Peril: Eight Challenges to America's Future, 7th Edition

by Hudson, William E.

• ISBN13: 9781452226750
• ISBN10: 145222675X
• Edition: 7th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-07-15
• Publisher: Cq Pr

Summary

With the economic crisis, intense partisan gridlock, and social movements like the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street, American Democracy in Peril encapsulates the tumultuous state of American politics more than ever. Hudson's provocative book offers a structured, yet critical look at the functioning of the American political system. This new edition incorporates the far-ranging impact of the Obama presidency-and the polarization that has accompanied it-along with these key updates: New discussion of the barriers of the separation of powers system, including the tortured politics of health care reform, the threats of government shutdown over deficit reform, and the use of institutional vetoes to prevent economic stimulus measures. New developments from the last election cycles, including changes in party politics, campaign funding, campaign media technologies and social media, and efforts at voter suppression. Fresh examination of the financial deregulation that led to the crisis, the massive financial bailout, and rising economic inequality. New insight regarding Obama's continuity with Bush-era national security practices from the use of secrecy to centralized executive control of policy.

Author Biography

William E. Hudson is professor of political science at Providence College, where he teaches courses in American politics and public policy. He currently serves as director of the Public Administration Program and was the founding director of the Feinstein Institute for Public Service. He is the author of The Libertarian Illusion, also published by CQ Press, and Experiencing Citizenship: Concepts and Models for Service-Learning in Political Science (with-Richard Battistoni). Hudson has published numerous articles on public policy issues in journals such as Political Science Quarterly, Polity, Western Political Quarterly, Economic Development Quarterly, and Policy Studies Journal.

Table of Contents

Tables and Figures	p. xi
Preface	p. xiii
Introduction: Models of Democracy	p. 1
Precursors to Modern Democratic Theory	p. 3
Protective Democracy	p. 8
Developmental Democracy	p. 10
Pluralist Democracy	p. 12
Participatory Democracy	p. 15
The Models Compared	p. 18
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 23
The First Challenge: Separation of Powers	p. 25
The Founders' Work	p. 26
The Jeffersonian Model	p. 29
The Separation of Powers and Democratic Values	p. 32
The Parliamentary Alternative	p. 50
Meeting the Challenge: Bridging the Separation of Powers	p. 59
Thought Questions	p. 62
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 63
Selected Websites	p. 65
The Second Challenge: The Imperial Judiciary	p. 67
The Least Democratic Branch	p. 71
A Brief History of Judicial Review	p. 73
Two Cases of Judicial Usurpation	p. 81
Can Judicial Review Be Made Consistent With Democracy?	p. 88
The Judicialization of American Politics as a Challenge to Democracy	p. 95
Meeting the Challenge: Revitalize American Democracy	p. 98
Thought Questions	p. 101
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 101
Selected Websites	p. 103
The Third Challenge: Radical Individualism	p. 105
Individualism in the American Tradition	p. 107
American "Habits of the Heart"	p. 111
The Flaws of Libertarianism	p. 116
Our Pathological Politics of Rights and Interests	p. 125
The Failed Opportunity to Build Community After 9/11	p. 131
Meeting the Challenge: Balancing Rights With Responsibilities	p. 133
Thought Questions	p. 135
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 136
Selected Websites	p. 137
The Fourth Challenge: Citizen Participation	p. 139
Citizen Participation and Democratic Theory	p. 140
Citizen Political Participation	p. 143
Signs of Civic Disengagement	p. 153
The New Citizen Activism	p. 158
Participation as a Challenge to Democracy	p. 161
Meeting the Challenge: More Participation, Not Less	p. 168
Thought Questions	p. 171
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 171
Selected Websites	p. 173
The Fifth Challenge: Elections Without the People's Voice	p. 175
Equal Representation	p. 177
Deliberation	p. 193
Control	p. 206
Meeting the Challenge: Reform Electoral institutions, Promote Democratic Deliberation	p. 214
Thought Questions	p. 219
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 219
Selected Websites	p. 220
The Sixth Challenge: The "Privileged Position" of Business	p. 223
American Politics as Pluralist Heaven	p. 224
Business: The Privileged Group	p. 227
Why Business Privilege Is a Threat to Democracy	p. 242
Objections to the Privileged-Position-of-Business Thesis	p. 250
Meeting the Challenge: Democratic Action to Reduce Business Privilege	p. 255
Thought Questions	p. 258
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 259
Selected Websites	p. 260
The Seventh Challenge: Economic Inequality	p. 263
Equality and Democratic Theory	p. 266
The End of the American Dream?	p. 272
Economic Inequality's Challenge to Democracy	p. 296
Meeting the Challenge: Policies to Promote Equality	p. 300
Thought Questions	p. 305
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 305
Selected Websites	p. 306
The Eighth Challenge: The National Security State	p. 309
The Burgeoning of the National Security State	p. 311
Secrecy	p. 320
Centralization	p. 326
Repression	p. 334
Distortion	p. 340
Meeting the Challenge: Reform to Achieve True Security	p. 349
Thought Questions	p. 354
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 354
Selected Websites	p. 356
Notes	p. 357
Index	p. 399
About the Author	p. 433
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