Democratic deficit
Subtitle: critical citizens revisited
By: Pippa Norris
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2010
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 335
ISBN-13: 9780521197519; 9780521127448
Description: "This book focuses on 'democratic deficits', reflecting how far the perceived democratic performance of any state diverges from public expectations. Norris examines the reasons behind the democratic deficit and analyzes the consequences for active citizenship, for governance, and ultimately, for democratization"--

"Many fear that democracies are suffering from a legitimacy crisis. This book focuses on ,♯d︢emocratic deficits,,♯ ̮reflecting how far the perceived democratic performance of any state diverges from public expectations. Pippa Norris examines the symptoms by comparing system support in more than fifty societies worldwide, challenging the pervasive claim that most established democracies have experienced a steadily rising tide of political disaffection during the third-wave era. The book diagnoses the reasons behind the democratic deficit, including demand (rising public aspirations for democracy), information (negative news about government), and supply (the performance and structure of democratic regimes). Finally, Norris examines the consequences for active citizenship, for governance, and ultimately, for democratization. This book provides fresh insights into major issues at the heart of comparative politics, public opinion, political culture, political behavior, democratic governance, political psychology, political communications, public policymaking, comparative sociology, cross-national survey analysis, and the dynamics of the democratization process"--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Machine generated contents note: Part I. Introduction: 1. Democratic hopes and fears; 2. The conceptual framework; 3. Evidence and methods; Part II. Symptoms: 4. Trends in the US and Western Europe; 5. Comparing political support around the world; 6. Trends in democratic deficits; Part III. Diagnosis: 7. Rising aspirations; 8. Democratic knowledge; 9. Negative news; 10. Failing performance; Part IV. Prognosis: 11. Consequences for citizenship, governance, and democratization; 12. Conclusions and implications.