Democracy

As the twentieth century draws to a close, can the American political process deal with the problems and demands of US society? Is American democracy vital and viable? Do politicians and the institutions of American government reflect and respond to the wishes of the electorate or are they overly influenced by special interests? Why have such issues as the federal budget deficit or the absence of a universal health care system been unresolved for so long?This volume reflects on these and other questions in exploring the state of American democracy during the twentieth century. The essays in this collection examine some of the specific issues that have animated politics in the United States over the past decades. They also analyse the institutions and the institutional relationships of the American governmental process.Democracy provides a stimulating introduction to the workings of the world's most powerful democracy for students of American government, politics, public administration and society.