Week Two Reading
Read the following Chapters in The Irony of Democracy: An Uncommon Introduction to American Politics.
Chapter 4 , 5 and 6
Chapter 4: Masses In America
A Republican form of government envisions an informed, participating citizenry committed to the values—liberty, equality, freedom of speech and the press, diversity, and due process of law. A Republic envisions a people who believe in equality of opportunity—the opportunity to improve their lives through hard work and initiative. The masses—especially un- and semiskilled workers—have seen their average hourly wages decline over time. Despite mass opposition, immigration, both legal and illegal, has skyrocketed. Inequality in America is increasing. These trends are a product of elite support for globalization. Elites benefit from the expansion of international trade, the globalization of capital markets, and worldwide competition among workers for jobs
Chapter 5: Elite –Mass Communication
Communication in the American political system flows downward from elites to masses. Mass media are the means by which elites communicate to the masses information, values, and attitudes. Pollsters measure mass response to these communications, which often fail as masses misinterpret elite messages.
Chapter 6: Elections ,Political Parties And Democracy
The two major political parties have little incentive to offer clear policy alternatives. Voters do not divide clearly along ideological lines. Party organizations are oligarchic and dominated by activists who are largely out of touch with voters. Candidates are selected in primary elections in which personal organization and financial assets are crucial to victory. Party voting in general elections is declining over time. Television has replaced party organizations as a means of linking candidates to voters. The party system fails to provide the masses with an effective means to direct public policy.
Elections do not serve as policy mandates but function as symbolic reassurance to the masses. Elections contribute to the legitimacy of government by allowing the masses to participate. Elected officials can claim voting legitimizes what they do in office. Money drives political campaigns.
Please review the following websites for Units 3 & 4.
Unit 3 Websites
· Campaigns and Elections -“Insider” information for hardcore activists from Congressional Quarterly.
· National Election Studies – Datasets from the University of Michigan. You need some familiarity with statistics programs to use this.
Unit 4 Websites
· Directory of Political Parties
· Democratic Party
· Republican Party
· The Gallup Organization – A good site from one of the biggest polling organizations – you can check out the numbers, the trends, the wording.
· The Roper Center for Public Opinion – This group maintains extensive archives of public opinion poll research, including the General Social Survey, as well as recent reports such as “America at the Polls 1998.
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