By popular demand : revitalizing representative democracy through deliberative elections
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
By popular demand : revitalizing representative democracy through deliberative elections
University of California Press, c2000
- : cloth
- : pbk
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Note
Includes bibliographical references (p. 239-257) and index
Description and Table of Contents
- Volume
-
: cloth ISBN 9780520223646
Description
John Gastil conventional assumptions about public opinion elections, and political expression in this persuasive treatise on how to revitalise the system of representative democracy in the United States. He argues that American citizens have difficulty developing clear policy interests, seldom eject 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. Drawing on research with citizen juries and deliberative polling, the author 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 judgements 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 this book merit serious consideration and debate.
- Volume
-
: pbk ISBN 9780520223653
Description
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.
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