Customer Reviews

American Democracy in Peril: Seven Challenges to America's Future (Chatham House Studies in Political Thinking)

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William E. Hudson has written an eloquent, insightful, and well-thought critique of the United States system of representative democracy. Hudson confronts the challenges to American democracy raised by campaign finance, the media, radical individualism, and the national security state. Hudson does not shy away from full fledged confrontation with the complacent stereotypes of American politics; instead, he utilizes his sharp wit and insight to cut through the layers of tacit consent which usually shield and protect our system of government to write a book about government as it really is. In an era when understandings about government are shrouded in assumptions and soporifisms, Hudson peels back the layers to expose the American political system and the central problems it carries with it.

This book is scarey. I read it to find out what they are teaching our kids. It was assigned reading. It advocates the abandondment of our constitutional system of checks and balances that has made us the greatest nation on earth. "Our eighteen-century Constitution has become a major obstacle to achieving democratic government in the twenty-first century" (pg34) - really? The author would prefer a socialist state. The radical left, running our schools, love it and teach this garbage. Why is it one is considered a right wing extremist to want to defend our constitution and have it taught to our kids? He makes broad accusations with no data to back up his statements: "During this period, most Americans were clearly dissatisfied......" (pg47) This is a two star only because it is well written and a window for us all to see the ultimate liberal agenda.