White-collar government
Subtitle: the hidden role of class in economic policy making
By: Nicholas Carnes
Series: Chicago studies in American politics; Chicago studies in American politics
Publisher: University Of Chicago Press; The University of Chicago Press
Published: 2013
Language: eng
Number of pages: 188
ISBN-13: 9780226087009; 9780226087146
Subjects: Class consciousness; Economic policy; Representative government and representation; White collar workers; Political activity
Description: "Eight of the last twelve presidents were millionaires when they took office. Millionaires also make up majorities on the Supreme Court and in Congress, where the average member has spent less than two percent of his or her adult life in a working-class job. Why is it that most politicians in America are so much better off than the people who elect them--and does the social class divide between citizens and their representatives matter? With White-Collar Government, Nicholas Carnes answers this question with a resounding--and disturbing--yes"--Page 4 of cover.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 169-181) and index.
Table of contents: title: White-collar government; title: What is class?; title: The unequal social class makeup of American political institutions; title: The elephant in the room; title: Why does class matter?; title: The evidence; title: Voting with class; title: Legislative voting as a window into the importance of class; title: Measuring the divisions; title: Class and legislative voting today; title: Class and legislative voting during the postwar period; title: The enduring imprint of class; title: Representational inequality in "ayes" and "nays"; title: Before the votes are cast; title: Legislative entrepreneurs; title: The role of class; title: Measuring legislative entrepreneurship; title: The policies legislators propose; title: The policies legislators pass; title: Leaving the working class off the agenda; title: Class, opinions, and choices; title: Out of touch, or out of step?; title: Inside the mind of a member of Congress; title: The importance of opinions; title: Who's out of touch now?; title: Out-of-step government; title: Economic policy making in class-imbalanced legislatures; title: Representation and policy making; title: What would a class-balanced Congress have done?; title: When the working class holds office; title: Blue-collar government; title: The economic consequences of white-collar government; title: Fixing the broken mirror; title: What's keeping the working class out of office?; title: Thinking bigger about inequality; title: Up front there oughta be a man in black.