American Democracy in Peril

Table of Contents Tables and Figures Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: Models of Democracy Precursors to Modern Democratic Theory Protective Democracy Developmental Democracy Pluralist Democracy Participatory DemocracyThe Models Compared1. The First Challenge: Separation of PowersThe Founders' WorkThe Jeffersonian ModelThe Separation of Powers and Democratic ValuesThe Parliamentary Alternative Meeting the Challenge: Bridging the Separation of Powers2. The Second Challenge: The Imperial Judiciary.The Least Democratic BranchA Brief History of Judicial ReviewTwo Cases of Judicial UsurpationCan Judicial Review Be Made Consistent with Democracy?The Judicialization of American Politics as a Challenge to Democracy Meeting the Challenge: Revitalizing American Democracy3. The Third Challenge: Radical Individualism Sources of American Individualism American "Habits of the Heart"The Flaws of Libertarianism Our Pathological Politics of Rights and Interests Meeting the Challenge: Forging a More Communitarian Spirit after 9/114. The Fourth Challenge: Citizen Participation Citizen Participation and Democratic TheoryCitizen Participation in the United States Participation as a Challenge to Democracy Meeting the Challenge: More, Not Less, Participation5. The Fifth Challenge: Trivialized ElectionsEqual Representation Deliberation ControlMeeting the Challenge: Reform Electoral Institutions. Promote Democratic Deliberation6. The Sixth Challenge: The "Privileged Position" of Business American Politics as Pluralist HeavenBusiness: The "Privileged" Group Why Business Privilege Is a Threat to Democracy Objections to the Privileged-Position-of-Business ThesisMeeting the Challenge: Democratic Action to Reduce Business Privilege 7. The Seventh Challenge: Inequality Equality and Democratic TheoryThe End of the American Dream?The Presistence of Racial Inequality Inequality and Democracy Meeting the Challenge: Policies to Promote Equality8. The Eighth Challenge: The National Security StateA Brief History of the National Security State Secrecy Centralization Repression Distortion Meeting the Challenge: Reform to Achieve True Security Notes Index