The Marketplace of Democracy: Electoral Competition and American Politics

(Paperback)

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Description

Elections are the vehicles through which Americans choose who governs them, and the power of the ballot is still the best lever ordinary citizens have in keeping public officials accountable. The Marketplace of Democracy considers different policy options for increasing the competition needed to keep American politics vibrant, responsive, and democratic.

Reviews

"In a clear, straightforward manner, this volume provides an important resource for a better understanding of why American politics suffers from low levels of competition for elected office. Students, faculty, and researchers would be wise to consult this important contribution to US elections. Highly recommended." CHOICE, 3/1/2007

"The studies which comprise this useful volume are of uniformly high quality, and the book contributes to our understanding of the possibilities and limitations of attempts at political reform. The contributors provide studies which are clearly written and methodologically sophisticated. As a collection, the studies in this book will be of interest to academics and political practitioners alike." Ted G. Jelen, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Congress & the Presidency

Author Bio

Michael P. McDonald is an assistant professor at George Mason University and a visiting fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. John Samples directs the Center for Representative Government at the Cato Institute and teaches political science at Johns Hopkins University.