Title: Downsizing democracy : how America sidelined its citizens and privatized its public /
Authors: Crenson, Matthew A., 1943-; Ginsberg, Benjamin.
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press,
Year: 2002
Subjects: Political participation United States; Democracy United States Citizen participation.; United States Politics and government.
Abstract: "In Downsizing Democracy, Matthew A. Crenson and Benjamin Ginsberg describe how the powerful idea of a collective citizenry has given way to a concept of personal, autonomous democracy, in which political change is effected through litigation, lobbying, and term limits, rather than active participation in the political process. Mandatory taxes have replaced bonds as a means to fund military operations, career civil servants have replaced volunteers in the allocation of public services, and an elite, professional soldier has replaced the citizen-soldier.
Contents: From popular to personal democracy -- The rise and fall of the citizen -- Elections without voters -- Political parties: the old patronage and the new -- Disunited we stand -- From masses to mailing lists -- The jurisprudence of personal democracy -- Movements without members -- Privatizing the public -- Conclusion: does anyone need citizens?