by Karl-Oskar Lindgren, Thomas Persson (2011)
This book is an empirical assessment of whether participatory governance reforms within the European Union enhance or endanger democracy. The alleged democratic deficit of the EU and its waning legitimacy have inspired scholars and practitioners to look for new ways of improving democracy and efficiency within it. Proponents of participatory governance, including the European Commission, argue that introducing new forums for interest-group participation and deliberation at the EU level will help create a more democratic and effective Union. This book examines the veracity of this claim. It looks at whether it is possible to enhance decision-making efficiency and democratic legitimacy by involving interest group representatives in the formulation and implementation of policy. In doing so, Participatory Governance in the EU employs data from a unique expert survey of stakeholders and EU officials.
Elizabeth May
"In 'Losing Confidence,' Elizabeth May offers a challenging and compelling look at the problems facing us, asks us to join the growing political debate, and offers some inspiring solutions to our dilemmas. May argues that average Canadians are the drivers of the country, and she implores us to make change happen, based on a simple but powerful premise: "Politics is not a spectator sport" --Back cover.
William B. Greider
In Secrets of the Temple, his acclaimed national best-seller, William Greider traced the inner workings of the Federal Reserve. Now Greider turns his investigative savvy and long Washington experience to a subject of even more vital concern: the failure of American politics and the faltering of the democratic process itself. Democracy is in deep trouble, trouble more serious than we realize. The very fabric of our system--the meaning of self-government, the values that have sustained us--is unraveling quickly, dangerously and perhaps irrevocably. Who Will Tell the People is a passionate, eye-opening challenge from a man determined to make us understand. Here is a tough-minded exploration of why we're in trouble, starting with the basic issues of who gets heard, who gets ignored, and why. Greider shows us the realities of power in Washington today, uncovering the hidden contours of relationships that link politicians with corporations and the rich and subvert the needs of ordinary citizens. He shows us how "modern methodologies of persuasion," often originating in the public relations firms, direct-mail companies and opinion-polling firms that line the streets of the capital, have created a new hierarchy of influence over government decisions. He shows us today's Capitol Hill, where a lone congressman who tries to represent the public interest can find himself aligned against an army of well-paid "authorities." The public's belief that government serves "a few big interests" is not mistaken. Greider explains exactly how this has come to pass. And where are the institutions designed to represent the people? Where are the unions? The political parties? The press? Gone, Greider writes, or transformed so radically that they no longer speak faithfully for the people. Citizen action is reduced to media stunts designed for shock value. Voters leave the traditional parties and dismiss elections as meaningless. Reporters write to please the people whose values they share--the guys at the top. How can we make change happen? How do we put meaning back into public life? Greider tells us the stories of some citizens who have managed to crack Washington's "Grand Bazaar" of influence buying and peddling as he reveals the structures of power designed to thwart them. Without naivete or cynicism, Greider shows us how the system can still be made to work for the people as he tackles gut issues like who pays taxes and who escapes them; who breathes bad air when industries manipulate environmental organizations; and who'll suffer the biggest losses as the world economy goes global and our national economy contracts. Who Will Tell the People delineates the lines of battle in the struggle to save democracy. Greider shows us the reality of how the decisions that shape our lives are made and how we can begin to take control once more.
Simon Goldhill and Robin Osborne
These new and specially commissioned essays discuss the ways in which performance is central to the practice and ideology of democracy in classical Athens. From theatre to law-court to gymnasium to symposium, performance is a basic part of Athenian society; how do these different areas interrelate and inform the politics and culture of the democratic city? Drama, rhetoric, philosophy, literature and art are all discussed by leading scholars in this interdisciplinary volume.
Kim Covert
"Describes ancient Greece, including its government structure, major achievements and inventions, and rise to power, as well as its lasting influences on the world"--Provided by publisher.