America's political reform quandary Cain, Bruce E. creator author. text bibliography nyu 2015 2015 monographic eng

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ix, 251 pages 24 cm. "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"-- 1. The ascendancy of reform populism -- 2. Reform pluralism -- 3. How much transparency? -- 4. Participation paradoxes -- 5. Reform cycles -- 6. Fair representation -- 7. Raising the political ethics bar -- 8. Election administration or policy? -- 9. A blended reform agenda. Bruce E. Cain. Includes bibliographical references and index. Democracy United States Representative government and representation Political participation Political culture Polarization Social sciences Democracy Law Polarization Social sciences United States Political participation United States Political culture United States Representative government and representation United States United States JK 1726 .C35 2015 320.973 9781107612266 (pbk) 2014018137 PUCPR 140508 20200925062651.0 330669