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Summary
Summary
Since the time of Watergate and Vietnam, trust in government has fallen precipitously. This can easily be sensed in the apathy and divisiveness that now characterize American politics, but it is perhaps most clearly revealed in poll data. The great majority of Americans do not trust the government "to do what's right all or most of the time". Nor do they believe that government is run for "the benefit of all" rather than for "a few big interests". The nine essays in this volume detail the present character of distrust, analyze its causes, assess the dangers it poses for the future of representative government in the United States, and suggest remedies.The focus of the analysis is on Congress because of its pivotal role in representative government in the United States. The authors also examine patterns of trust in societal institutions and trust in the Presidency, especially in light of the Clinton impeachment controversy. Because the causes and effects of distrust are complex and pervasive, the individual chapters highlight many of the defining features and issues of contemporary American politics. These include the emergence of a politics that is far more ideological, candidate centered, and captive to interest groups, the changing character and enhanced importance of the media, the mounting costs of campaigns, the contradictions in public attitudes toward political leaders and processes, the causes and consequences of public misconceptions of democratic politics, and the need for reform in campaign finance, media practices, and civic education.
Summary
Since the time of Watergate and Vietnam, trust in government has fallen precipitously. This can easily be sensed in the apathy and divisiveness that now characterize American politics, but it is perhaps most clearly revealed in poll data. The great majority of Americans do not trust the government "to do what's right all or most of the time". Nor do they believe that government is run for "the benefit of all" rather than for "a few big interests". The nine essays in this volume detail the present character of distrust, analyze its causes, assess the dangers it poses for the future of representative government in the United States, and suggest remedies.The focus of the analysis is on Congress because of its pivotal role in representative government in the United States. The authors also examine patterns of trust in societal institutions and trust in the Presidency, especially in light of the Clinton impeachment controversy. Because the causes and effects of distrust are complex and pervasive, the individual chapters highlight many of the defining features and issues of contemporary American politics. These include the emergence of a politics that is far more ideological, candidate centered, and captive to interest groups, the changing character and enhanced importance of the media, the mounting costs of campaigns, the contradictions in public attitudes toward political leaders and processes, the causes and consequences of public misconceptions of democratic politics, and the need for reform in campaign finance, media practices, and civic education.
Reviews (2)
Choice Review
This thoughtful book reports trends and patterns in the popularity of Congress over the last 40 years. Over most of that time, the Congress has not been popular; in nine essays, one journalist (David Shribman of the Boston Globe), one politician (former US Senator Bill Bradley), and seven political scientists, including some of the most authoritative congressional scholars, ponder why. This book is not about the relatively new problem of the precipitous drop in comity and trust among members of Congress but rather explores ratings of Congress by citizen respondents to questionnaires. The title, indicating decline from some loftier status, is slightly misleading. The numbers, well displayed here, indicate that Congress has only seldom been popular and is mostly suspected by citizens. As Richard Fenno has demonstrated, people nevertheless like their own member--who frequently campaigns against Congress. How can an unpopular body nevertheless confer legitimacy on the acts of government? Issues of this sort bubble up from these essays and from the findings and arguments that inspire them. Recommended for upper-division undergraduates and above. N. W. Polsby; University of California, Berkeley
Choice Review
This thoughtful book reports trends and patterns in the popularity of Congress over the last 40 years. Over most of that time, the Congress has not been popular; in nine essays, one journalist (David Shribman of the Boston Globe), one politician (former US Senator Bill Bradley), and seven political scientists, including some of the most authoritative congressional scholars, ponder why. This book is not about the relatively new problem of the precipitous drop in comity and trust among members of Congress but rather explores ratings of Congress by citizen respondents to questionnaires. The title, indicating decline from some loftier status, is slightly misleading. The numbers, well displayed here, indicate that Congress has only seldom been popular and is mostly suspected by citizens. As Richard Fenno has demonstrated, people nevertheless like their own member--who frequently campaigns against Congress. How can an unpopular body nevertheless confer legitimacy on the acts of government? Issues of this sort bubble up from these essays and from the findings and arguments that inspire them. Recommended for upper-division undergraduates and above. N. W. Polsby; University of California, Berkeley
Table of Contents
| Transforming American Politics | p. ii |
| Tables and Figures | p. ix |
| Foreword: Trust and Democracy: Causes and Consequences of Mistrust of Government | p. xi |
| Acknowledgments | p. xxiii |
| 1 The Puzzle of Distrust | p. 1 |
| 2 Insiders with a Crisis from Outside | p. 27 |
| 3 Appreciating Congress | p. 43 |
| 4 Congress and Public Trust | p. 65 |
| 5 How Good People Make Bad Collectives | p. 79 |
| 6 Congress, Public Trust, and Education | p. 101 |
| 7 Performance and Expectations in American Politics | p. 131 |
| Epilogue: The Clinton Impeachment Controversy and Public Trust | p. 169 |
| Appendix: Trends in Public Trust: 1952-1998 | p. 185 |
| About the Editor and Contributors | p. 215 |
| Index | p. 219 |
| Transforming American Politics | p. ii |
| Tables and Figures | p. ix |
| Foreword: Trust and Democracy: Causes and Consequences of Mistrust of Government | p. xi |
| Acknowledgments | p. xxiii |
| 1 The Puzzle of Distrust | p. 1 |
| 2 Insiders with a Crisis from Outside | p. 27 |
| 3 Appreciating Congress | p. 43 |
| 4 Congress and Public Trust | p. 65 |
| 5 How Good People Make Bad Collectives | p. 79 |
| 6 Congress, Public Trust, and Education | p. 101 |
| 7 Performance and Expectations in American Politics | p. 131 |
| Epilogue: The Clinton Impeachment Controversy and Public Trust | p. 169 |
| Appendix: Trends in Public Trust: 1952-1998 | p. 185 |
| About the Editor and Contributors | p. 215 |
| Index | p. 219 |