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By Popular Demand: Revitalizing Representative Democracy Through Deliberative Elections
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.
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.
275 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
9 people want to read
About the author
John Gastil
15 books10 followersJohn Gastil is a professor in the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences at Penn State University, where he also serves as Senior Scholar at the McCourtney Institute for Democracy. The National Science Foundation has supported numerous large-scale research programs for which he has served as a principal investigator.
Gastil has worked on campaigns for federal, state, and local office in California and New Mexico. He has also written two novels, which will be published in 2020 by Cosmic Egg Books (UK). He resides in State College, PA.
Gastil has worked on campaigns for federal, state, and local office in California and New Mexico. He has also written two novels, which will be published in 2020 by Cosmic Egg Books (UK). He resides in State College, PA.
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June 16, 2020
"There are two fundamental problems in American politics. The first is the most Americans do not believe that elected officials represent their interests. The second is that they are correct."
The first two lines of By Popular Demand identify the mistrust felt by so many Americans toward their political institutions. Gastil thoroughly outlines why our representative democracy needs help, and then persuasively demonstrates why deliberation can be a prominent solution.
In this book, Gastil outlines multiple deliberative models, one of which would arguably become the most successful deliberative intervention in American politics ever. The fundamentals of the Citizens' Initiative Review, a deliberative body convened in Oregon and other states, are found within these pages.
Gastil is a deliberative democracy pioneer, and this book is a must-read for practitioners and researchers alike.
The first two lines of By Popular Demand identify the mistrust felt by so many Americans toward their political institutions. Gastil thoroughly outlines why our representative democracy needs help, and then persuasively demonstrates why deliberation can be a prominent solution.
In this book, Gastil outlines multiple deliberative models, one of which would arguably become the most successful deliberative intervention in American politics ever. The fundamentals of the Citizens' Initiative Review, a deliberative body convened in Oregon and other states, are found within these pages.
Gastil is a deliberative democracy pioneer, and this book is a must-read for practitioners and researchers alike.
Displaying 1 of 1 review