Democratic Deficit: Critical Citizens Revisited
Cambridge University Press, 2/14/2011
EAN 9780521197519, ISBN10: 0521197511
Hardcover, 350 pages, 23.4 x 15.6 x 2.4 cm
Language: English
Originally published in English
Many fear that democracies are suffering from a legitimacy crisis. This book focuses on 'democratic deficits', reflecting how far the perceived democratic performance of any state diverges from public expectations. Pippa Norris examines the symptoms by comparing system support in more than fifty societies worldwide, challenging the pervasive claim that most established democracies have experienced a steadily rising tide of political disaffection during the third-wave era. The book diagnoses the reasons behind the democratic deficit, including demand (rising public aspirations for democracy), information (negative news about government) and supply (the performance and structure of democratic regimes). Finally, Norris examines the consequences for active citizenship, for governance and, ultimately, for democratization. This book provides fresh insights into major issues at the heart of comparative politics, public opinion, political culture, political behavior, democratic governance, political psychology, political communications, public policymaking, comparative sociology, cross-national survey analysis and the dynamics of the democratization process.
Part I. Introduction
1. Democratic hopes and fears
2. The conceptual framework
3. Evidence and methods
Part II. Symptoms
4. Trends in the US and Western Europe
5. Comparing political support around the world
6. Trends in democratic deficits
Part III. Diagnosis
7. Rising aspirations
8. Democratic knowledge
9. Negative news
10. Failing performance
Part IV. Prognosis
11. Consequences for citizenship, governance, and democratization
12. Conclusions and implications.