The Decline of Representative Democracy: Process, Participation, and Power in State Legislatures [Paperback]

Alan Rosenthal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0871879743 | ISBN-13: 978-0871879745

Based on a leading scholar's firsthand observations of legislatures as well as extensive interviews with legislators, legislative staff, and lobbyists, this important new work describes and analyzes the contemporary state of legislatures and the legislative process in the fifty states. It explores the principal elements of legislatures, including the processes by which legislation is enacted, the impact of the media, political competition and partisanship, lobbyists and lobbying, the challenge of ethics, the role of leadership, and the linkage between legislators and their constituencies.

Thematically, Alan Rosenthal argues that despite the popular perception that legislatures are autocratic, arbitrary, isolated, unresponsive, and up for sale, legislatures are, in fact, extraordinarily democratic and becoming more so. He concludes, furthermore, that the dangers to representative democracy today are substantial.

The Decline of Representative Democracy builds on the growing literature in state politics and state legislatures. It also relies on the author's participant-observer research, interviews conducted especially for this book, and his years in the field.

Many recent illustrative examples help to clarify the theoretical points made throughout the book, which in turn provide provocative sources of debate for students of the legislative process.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alan Rosenthal is Professor of Public Policy and Political Science at the Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University. He has collaborated in activities with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the Council of State Governments (CSG), and the State Legislative Leaders Foundation (SLLF) and worked on projects and studies for legislatures in about 35 states. Currently, he is working with NCSL, the American Political Science Association (APSA), and the Center for Civic Education on the development and communication of a new public perspective on representative democracy.

In New Jersey, he chaired the Ad Hoc Commission on Legislative Ethics and Campaign Finance in 1990, was selected as the independent member and chair of the Redistricting Commission in 1992, and in 1993 received the Governor's Award for Public Service. In 1995 Rosenthal received APSA's Charles E. Merriam Award, which honors a person whose published work and career represent a significant contribution to the art of government through the application of social science research.

His recent books include Republic on Trial: The Case for Representative Democracy (Rosenthal et al., 2003) and Heavy Lifting: The Job of the American Legislature (2005).

Product Details

• Paperback: 369 pages
• Publisher: CQ Press (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871879743
• ISBN-13: 978-0871879745
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,611,628 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a very good book, August 2, 2001

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Jonathan Brown (Fair Oaks,, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Decline of Representative Democracy: Process, Participation, and Power in State Legislatures (Paperback)

Professor Rosenthal specializes in writing clearly about state legislatures. He understands the dynamics of the system and yet writes with a strong attention to detail. While he communicates the problems he is neither a muckraker nor a shill. One wishes that more academics would take the care he does in writing about their subjects. You should also check out his earlier book on the third house.

5 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Warning, January 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Decline of Representative Democracy: Process, Participation, and Power in State Legislatures (Hardcover)

This work is one that must be read by all people interested in the reasons behind why our governmental system is in shambles. I live in our nation's capital and I cannot understand how people can take for granted the wonders that the US has to offer. The freedoms that we currnetly enjoy are unparalelled to any other time in History. Despite this, people in our society spit on the bill of rights and say 'that is how it has always been.' It must be warned that when a society of ideal people moves to a society of ignorance (presently ours) our society will not be able to sustain itself. This is the essence of this book. People must learn why our democracy is falling apart if they wish to remedy the situation. This situation is one that certainly must be remedied if we are to contonue into the next millenium.

I find myself wondering how we went from a patriotic society of John Adams, George Washington and others to a society of selfishness. We are presently a society that looks foolish in so many regards. The pamphlet, Common Sense was written to energize people to fight for the basic rights of man. It is a sad day when novels like this must be written. However, note the word must. I hope that this book does not need to be read in the future, but presently it is necessary to remedy the problem. This book illustrates they ways in which our society has gone wrong and with enough hard long thought the answers to fixing those problems can be deduced. NOTE: This is not a civics book, nor does it show how government operates but for higher level thinkers, interested in making America the robust leaaderin liberty that she once was, this book must be read.