Tesco
Testing Theories of American Politics
Report

Testing Theories of American Politics

Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens

Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page
Princeton UP, 2014
Get the Report

Read or listen offline

automatisch generiertes Audio
  • 0.5×
  • 0.75×
  • 1×
  • 1.25×
  • 1.5×
  • 1.75×
1×
automatisch generiertes Audio

Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Analytical
  • Innovative
  • Eye Opening

Recommendation

Many Americans may have long suspected that their ability to influence or even garner the attention of their elected representatives in Washington, DC, is limited. Now, this timely, innovative research report confirms their worst suspicions. Political scientists Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page used a unique data set to substantiate the conclusion that the policy-making process increasingly overlooks the interests of average US citizens to the benefit of affluent elites. getAbstract highly recommends this eye-opening presentation to civic-minded and politically astute observers who are concerned about the future of American democracy.

Take-Aways

  • Political scientists use four theoretical frameworks to study American politics: “Majoritarian electoral democracy” posits that “the collective will” of the people – manifested through majority rule via fair elections – drives US government policies.
  • “Economic elite domination” says that individuals with “substantial economic resources” exercise control. The Founding Fathers, who were largely landowners and wealthy merchants, came from this group.
  • Organized “mass-based” groups, like labor unions, are examples of “majoritarian pluralism,” while “business-oriented” industry lobbyists exemplify “biased pluralism.”

About the Authors

Martin Gilens is a professor of politics at Princeton University. Benjamin I. Page is a professor of policy research at Northwestern University.

Comment on this summary or Diskussion beginnen