For the Many Or the Few - The Initiative, Public Policy, and American Democracy

Klappentext Direct democracy is alive and well in the United States. Citizens are increasingly using initiatives and referendums to take the law into their own hands! overriding their elected officials to set tax! expenditure! and social policies. John G. Matsusaka's "For the Many or the Few" provides the first even-handed and historically based treatment of the subject. Drawing upon a century of evidence! Matsusaka argues against the popular belief that initiative measures are influenced by wealthy special interest groups that neglect the majority view. Examining demographic! political! and opinion data! he demonstrates how the initiative process brings about systematic changes in tax and expenditure policies of state and local governments that are generally supported by the citizens. He concludes that! by and large! direct democracy in the form of the initiative process works for the benefit of the many rather than the few. An unprecedented! comprehensive look at the historical! empirical! and theoretical components of how initiatives function within our representative democracy to increase political competition while avoiding the tyranny of the majority! "For the Many or the Few" is a most timely and definitive work. Zusammenfassung Studies a century of budget data from states and cities to provide a picture of how direct democracy is changing government policies. This book argues against the belief that initiatives empower wealthy special interest groups that neglect the majority view. It demonstrates how initiatives led to significant tax and expenditure cuts.

Détails du produit

• Auteurs: J.g. Matsusaka, John G. Matsusaka, Matsusaka John G.
• Edition: University Of Chicago Press
• Langues: Anglais
• Format d'édition: Livre Relié
• Sortie: 15.09.2004
• EAN: 9780226510811
• ISBN: 978-0-226-51081-1
• Pages: 206
• Thèmes: American Politics & Political; American Politics and Political Economy Series
• Catégories: Sciences sociales, droit, économie > Sciences politiques > Sciences politiques et formation politique; Sciences sociales, droit, économie > Sciences politiques > Systèmes politiques; USA, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Process / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Ideologies / Democracy, POLITICAL SCIENCE / American Government / National, Political structures: democracy, United States of America, USA, Central / national / federal government policies, Central government policies