Product Information
Why do American political reform efforts so often fail to solve the problems they intend to fix? In this book, Bruce E. Cain argues that the reasons are an unrealistic civic ideal of a fully informed and engaged citizenry and a neglect of basic pluralist principles about political intermediaries. This book traces the tension between populist and pluralist approaches as it plays out in many seemingly distinct reform topics, such as voting administration, campaign finance, excessive partisanship, redistricting, and transparency and voter participation. It explains why political primaries have promoted partisan polarization, why voting rates are declining even as election opportunities increase, and why direct democracy is not really a grassroots tool. Cain offers a reform agenda that attempts to reconcile pluralist ideals with the realities of collective-action problems and resource disparities.Product Identifiers
PublisherCambridge University Press
ISBN-139781107039636
eBay Product ID (ePID)209306591
Product Key Features
Number of Pages262 Pages
LanguageEnglish
Publication NameDemocracy more or Less: America's Political Reform Quandary
Publication Year2014
TypeTextbook
AuthorBruce E. Cain
Subject AreaConstitutional Law
SeriesCambridge Studies in Election Law and Democracy
Dimensions
Item Height229 mm
Item Weight520 g
Additional Product Features
Country/Region of ManufactureUnited Kingdom
Title_AuthorBruce E. Cain