Affluence & Influence. Economic Inequality and Political Power in America. Martin Gilens. Department of Politics. Princeton University. Book review: Martin Gilens Affluence and Influence: Economic Inequality and Political Power in America and Kay Lehman Schlozman, Sidney Verba and Henry. In Affluence and Influence, Martin Gilens explores the question of who gets represented in American democracy. The central thesis of the book.
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Mar 07, Mills College Library added it. Gilens shows that representational inequality is spread widely across different policy glens and time periods.
Citing articles via Google Scholar. He points out that many decisions that lead to roll-call votes are made behind closed doors and are influenced by factors very different from what people think.
It is sort of an extended version of a paper that Gilens coauthored affluecne Benjamin Page. De Tocqueville was astonished by the lack of vision in American politicians – attributing this to the fact that voters were drawn to men who served their short-range interests and told them what they wanted to hear.
Please try again later. Part of the novelty and richness of the book comes from its description of specific policy issues and cases, which provides a detailed and important picture of real-world Yilens politics.
Short on solutions but long on the problem.
Gilens compiles a massive data set of public opinion surveys and subsequent policy outcomes, and reaches a shocking conclusion: Containing scrupulous analysis and well-supported claims, Affluence and Influence will influende great scholarly impact and reach broad audiences concerned with American politics, public policy, and democratic theory. Write a customer review. In particular, impending elections–especially presidential elections–and an even partisan division in Congress mitigate representational inequality and boost responsiveness to the preferences of the broader public.
For instance, he addresses the claim that below-average income people may lack the knowledge or competence to make policy choices.
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Return to Book Page. Nathan Kelly; Martin Gilens. Chris Campano rated it really liked it Jul 29, Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. In particular, impending elections–especially presidential elections–and an even partisan division in Congress mitigate representational inequality and boost ggilens to the preferences of the broader public. Race, Media, and the Politics of Antipoverty Policy.
EconPapers: Affluence and Influence: Economic Inequality and Political Power in America
Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your influecne, and attract new followers and customers. The subject matter and the interview were interesting and it made me want to read the book.
English Choose a language for shopping. His opening chapter on citizen competence and democratic decision making should be required reading for those who doubt the feasibility and value of a truly representative government. Customers who viewed this item also viewed. His findings are staggering: Would you like to tell us about a lower price?
Sign In or Create an Account. Will Chang influene it really liked it Mar 07, Withoutabox Submit to Film Festivals.
For instance, if you only analyze votes taken in Congress, you overlook policies supported by the public which never get voted on. Even though it’s no fun, I’m glad the book was written and think it will be a good resource. He holds a Ph. The one bright spot in this unhappy tale of unequal influencee is that political competition increases the responsiveness of policymakers to the views of the public and generates policies that more equally reflect the preferences of all Americans.
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The book also has a humbling lesson for people like me who believe that the Democratic Party is a party of the less-privileged and the working class whereas the Republican Party is that of the well-to-do.
With sharp analysis and an impressive range of data, Influenc Gilens looks at thousands of proposed policy changes, and the degree of support for each among poor, middle-class, and affluent Americans.
In an ideal democracy, all citizens should have equal nad on government policy–but as this book demonstrates, America’s policymakers respond almost exclusively to the preferences of the economically advantaged To ask other readers questions about Affluence and Influenceplease sign up.
For permissions, please e-mail: Yet Gilens also shows that under specific circumstances the preferences of the middle class and, to a lesser extent, the poor, do seem to matter.
Though it is not an affleunce read, one can still look at the data, read the analysis and grasp the conclusions that the author arrives at. Though it is not an easy read, one can afflhence I chanced to come across this book while watching an interview with the author on TV.
Try the Kindle edition and experience these great reading features: Not only do ordinary citizens not have uniquely substantial affluence over policy decisions; they have little or no independent influence on policy at all”.
Account Options Sign in. One example showed two polls asking similar military policy questions which stated one side’s argument, but not the other side.