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The Paradox of American Democracy: Elites, Special Interests, and the Betrayal of Public Trust
John B. Judis, one of our most insightful political commentators, most rational and careful thinkers, and most engaged witnesses in Washington, has taken on a challenge that even the most concerned American citizens shrink forecasting the American political climate at the turn of the century. The Paradox of American Democracy is a penetrating examination of our democracy that illuminates the forces and institutions that once enlivened it and now threaten to undermine it. It is the well-reasoned discussion we need in this era of unrestrained expert opinions and ideologically biased testimony.
The disenchantment with our political system can be seen in decreasing voter turnout, political parties co-opted by consultants and large contributors, the corrupting influence of "soft money," and concern for national welfare subverted by lobbying organizations and special-interest groups. Judis revisits particular moments -- the Progressive Era, the New Deal, the 1960s -- to discover what makes democracy the most efficacious and, consequently, most inefficacious. What has worked in the past is a balancing act between groups of elites --- trade commissions, labor relations boards, policy groups -- whose mandates are to act in the national interest and whose actions are governed by a disinterested pursuit of the common good. Judis explains how the displacment of such elites by a new lobbying community in Whashington has given rise to the cynicism that corrodes the current political system.
The Paradox of American Democracy goes straight to the heart of every political debate in this country.
The disenchantment with our political system can be seen in decreasing voter turnout, political parties co-opted by consultants and large contributors, the corrupting influence of "soft money," and concern for national welfare subverted by lobbying organizations and special-interest groups. Judis revisits particular moments -- the Progressive Era, the New Deal, the 1960s -- to discover what makes democracy the most efficacious and, consequently, most inefficacious. What has worked in the past is a balancing act between groups of elites --- trade commissions, labor relations boards, policy groups -- whose mandates are to act in the national interest and whose actions are governed by a disinterested pursuit of the common good. Judis explains how the displacment of such elites by a new lobbying community in Whashington has given rise to the cynicism that corrodes the current political system.
The Paradox of American Democracy goes straight to the heart of every political debate in this country.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
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236 people want to read
About the author
John B. Judis
19 books60 followersJohn B. Judis is an American journalist. Born in Chicago he attended Amherst College and received B.A. and M.A. degrees in Philosophy from the University of California at Berkeley. He is a senior editor at The New Republic and a contributing editor to The American Prospect.
A founding editor of Socialist Revolution (now Socialist Review) in 1969 and of the East Bay Voice in the 1970s, Judis started reporting from Washington in 1982, when he became a founding editor and Washington correspondent for In These Times, a democratic-socialist weekly magazine.
He has also written for GQ, Foreign Affairs, Mother Jones, The New York Times Magazine, and The Washington Post.
In 2002, he published a book (co-written with political scientist Ruy Teixeira) arguing that Democrats would retake control of American politics, thanks in part to growing support from minorities and well-educated professionals. The title, The Emerging Democratic Majority, was a deliberate echo of Kevin Phillips' 1969 classic, The Emerging Republican Majority. The book was named one of the year's best by The Economist magazine.
A founding editor of Socialist Revolution (now Socialist Review) in 1969 and of the East Bay Voice in the 1970s, Judis started reporting from Washington in 1982, when he became a founding editor and Washington correspondent for In These Times, a democratic-socialist weekly magazine.
He has also written for GQ, Foreign Affairs, Mother Jones, The New York Times Magazine, and The Washington Post.
In 2002, he published a book (co-written with political scientist Ruy Teixeira) arguing that Democrats would retake control of American politics, thanks in part to growing support from minorities and well-educated professionals. The title, The Emerging Democratic Majority, was a deliberate echo of Kevin Phillips' 1969 classic, The Emerging Republican Majority. The book was named one of the year's best by The Economist magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 31, 2021
Over the history of the United States, those who are allowed a vote have continually increased in number and the number of positions held by those directly elected by the people has grown, most notably with the Senate. At the top, there has been an elite of men considered above the fray of partisan politics, men high in academia, or retired from politics or business who could be called upon to hold office in administrations, or simply to act as advisers or mediators when large interest groups such as business and labor came into conflict.
Both the broadening of the suffrage and the guidance of those recognized as having wisdom and experience were good things for democracy. However, in recent years many people don't bother to vote with the understandable view that voting makes no difference. At the same time the disinterested elite has disappeared in favor of the aggressive pursuit of wealth without limit. The revolving door between industry and government with the accompanying relaxation of regulation has resulted in a democracy in appearance only, what I like to call a democracy of lobbies.
John Judis tells how this came to be in this very readable account of the fall of organized labor, the growth of influence of money and the paralysis of government; a deliberately maintained status quo that funnels wealth to the top as the needs of the people are disregarded.
Judis goes back to the turn of the 2oth century to inform the reader of the progressive actions taken in the Teddy Roosevelt years, then of the New Deal period in the 1930's when there was widespread concern that capitalism would not survive. Specific legislation is described, such as the Wagner Act that stood behind the organization of labor into unions. With each move forward, a move back eventually followed. The last gasp of progressive legislation came in the Nixon years with a determined move to the right coming with the election of Reagan. At that point began the kind of thing we have come to expect - the appointment to regulatory agencies of people from the very industries that are supposed to be regulated. Does the name James Watt at the EPA ring a bell?
Judis explains how behind the scenes the disinterested elite disappeared with the rising power of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable (a club of CEO's) providing an unstoppable alliance of lobbyists to not just turn back progressive legislation, but to actually write legislation to serve the interests of big business. Henry Kissinger is mentioned as the poster boy for politicians leaving office to clean up financially as consultants, often acting against the positions they held while in office. Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America" turned out to be a contract with K street (the street in Washington where a great number of lobbying groups are located) as he openly invited lobbyists to tell the Congress what changes in or introductions of legislation would aid business.
Since 2000, things have deteriorated culminating in the election of a member of the 1% to the presidency, the claim of yore to being brought up in a log cabin not just forgotten but baldly repudiated. In 2020 there will be, unless Joe Biden wins the Democratic nomination, a clear choice for the American people to either continue government paralysis and the ever increasing income inequality that goes with unregulated capitalism, or bring on a progressive breakout with politicians who will turn the government back to the people.
While reading this work I was reminded of things I lived through, but had forgotten about since they did not affect me directly at the time. Over and over, I found myself saying, "so THAT'S what resulted!" It's easy with the daily blizzard of news to lose sight of trends. John Judis puts a spotlight on all the moves that have been made while we the people were otherwise occupied, by wealthy influential people who have an agenda and pursued it with a will. I wish everyone who will be able to vote in 2020 could read this book as it provokes outrage by simply telling the truth without rancor, refreshing in itself.
Though this book was written in 2000, it is a valuable reminder of the specific events that took place up to the end of the Clinton presidency that created the current inability of the people to get the response from government that one would expect in a free country, the paradox mentioned in the title. Strangely, my copy is retired from a library, yet checking on Amazon reveals that the same edition is still in print and pricey in any format. That tells me that it is likely used as a text in classrooms.
The book is not as detailed and comprehensive as Rick Perlman's Nixonland, but is a far shorter read and hits all the necessary points.
Both the broadening of the suffrage and the guidance of those recognized as having wisdom and experience were good things for democracy. However, in recent years many people don't bother to vote with the understandable view that voting makes no difference. At the same time the disinterested elite has disappeared in favor of the aggressive pursuit of wealth without limit. The revolving door between industry and government with the accompanying relaxation of regulation has resulted in a democracy in appearance only, what I like to call a democracy of lobbies.
John Judis tells how this came to be in this very readable account of the fall of organized labor, the growth of influence of money and the paralysis of government; a deliberately maintained status quo that funnels wealth to the top as the needs of the people are disregarded.
Judis goes back to the turn of the 2oth century to inform the reader of the progressive actions taken in the Teddy Roosevelt years, then of the New Deal period in the 1930's when there was widespread concern that capitalism would not survive. Specific legislation is described, such as the Wagner Act that stood behind the organization of labor into unions. With each move forward, a move back eventually followed. The last gasp of progressive legislation came in the Nixon years with a determined move to the right coming with the election of Reagan. At that point began the kind of thing we have come to expect - the appointment to regulatory agencies of people from the very industries that are supposed to be regulated. Does the name James Watt at the EPA ring a bell?
Judis explains how behind the scenes the disinterested elite disappeared with the rising power of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable (a club of CEO's) providing an unstoppable alliance of lobbyists to not just turn back progressive legislation, but to actually write legislation to serve the interests of big business. Henry Kissinger is mentioned as the poster boy for politicians leaving office to clean up financially as consultants, often acting against the positions they held while in office. Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America" turned out to be a contract with K street (the street in Washington where a great number of lobbying groups are located) as he openly invited lobbyists to tell the Congress what changes in or introductions of legislation would aid business.
Since 2000, things have deteriorated culminating in the election of a member of the 1% to the presidency, the claim of yore to being brought up in a log cabin not just forgotten but baldly repudiated. In 2020 there will be, unless Joe Biden wins the Democratic nomination, a clear choice for the American people to either continue government paralysis and the ever increasing income inequality that goes with unregulated capitalism, or bring on a progressive breakout with politicians who will turn the government back to the people.
While reading this work I was reminded of things I lived through, but had forgotten about since they did not affect me directly at the time. Over and over, I found myself saying, "so THAT'S what resulted!" It's easy with the daily blizzard of news to lose sight of trends. John Judis puts a spotlight on all the moves that have been made while we the people were otherwise occupied, by wealthy influential people who have an agenda and pursued it with a will. I wish everyone who will be able to vote in 2020 could read this book as it provokes outrage by simply telling the truth without rancor, refreshing in itself.
Though this book was written in 2000, it is a valuable reminder of the specific events that took place up to the end of the Clinton presidency that created the current inability of the people to get the response from government that one would expect in a free country, the paradox mentioned in the title. Strangely, my copy is retired from a library, yet checking on Amazon reveals that the same edition is still in print and pricey in any format. That tells me that it is likely used as a text in classrooms.
The book is not as detailed and comprehensive as Rick Perlman's Nixonland, but is a far shorter read and hits all the necessary points.
April 14, 2017
Okay book. May need a college course to put it into better context I saw this book recommend on Twitter several weeks ago and I decided to go ahead and read the book.
It's a description of how US politics came to be in the modern (relatively speaking, the book was published 20 years ago) era. From the big money, lobbyist and the influence of big business and how that affects how we're governed and how we govern. Other topics examined include public participation (or the lack of it).
I found it difficult to read. I picked it on a whim and now can't remember the exact reason why I decided it would be a good read. If I were taking a college-level course on political science/political history this is probably a book that would be on the syllabus. But without it the book is rather dry and academic. I think the book would also highly benefit from an update.
Borrowed from the library but wouldn't recommend rushing out to read it either.
It's a description of how US politics came to be in the modern (relatively speaking, the book was published 20 years ago) era. From the big money, lobbyist and the influence of big business and how that affects how we're governed and how we govern. Other topics examined include public participation (or the lack of it).
I found it difficult to read. I picked it on a whim and now can't remember the exact reason why I decided it would be a good read. If I were taking a college-level course on political science/political history this is probably a book that would be on the syllabus. But without it the book is rather dry and academic. I think the book would also highly benefit from an update.
Borrowed from the library but wouldn't recommend rushing out to read it either.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews