Democracy for the Few [Paperback]

Michael Parenti (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0312392508 | ISBN-13: 978-0312392505 | Publication Date: July 16, 2001 | Edition: 7

Parenti's provocative critique of class power within traditional political institutions will arouse classroom debate and introduce students to a unique viewpoint of American capitalism. Unlike most texts on the American political system, DEMOCRACY FOR THE FEW emphasizes the political economy of public policy and who gets what.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"…the Parenti text challenges students, perhaps for the first time, to critically assess the dominant pluralist paradigm; that it invites students to consider the ubiquity of politics in their lives; that they confront the struggle and inevitable conflict between democracy and capitalism, which is usually ignored."

"Years after they read it, some students have remarked that it was the most important book they've read in college."

"Parenti is more readable than Noam Chomsky, and more serious than Michael Moore." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing; 7 edition (July 16, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312392508
• ISBN-13: 978-0312392505
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #132,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Parenti (Berkeley, CA) is the acclaimed author of more than twenty books, including, most recently, Contrary Notions: The Michael Parenti Reader; The Assassination of Julius Caesar; and The Culture Struggle. The New York Times Book Review, the Washington Post, the New York Review of Books, Harper's, The Nation, and Antioch Review, are among the countless publications that have praised Parenti's work. For further information, visit his Web site: michaelparenti.org

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

139 of 152 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not for the Chronically Indoctrinated, January 1, 2002

By 

Curtis K. (Monte Sereno, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Democracy for the Few (Paperback)

In response to the two reviewers below...

The fact that Spiro Agnew resigned in exchange for the dropping of charges of bribery, extortion and income tax evasion is not discredited by evasive angles. The fact that such facts are not discussed in most school textbooks is very much a political issue.

In regard to "credible sources," the first chapter alone of 'Democracy for the Few' refers to mainstream publications such as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post 36 times and judiciously utilizes 14 references from alternative publications such as Multinational Monitor and The Nation whose bias is merely the undoing of the blatant anti-labor, pro-plutocracy bias of the mainstream corporate owned media. This same ratio applies relatively throughout the remaining chapters.

One of the central facts discussed in the book comes right out of the IRS Statistics of Income Bulletin, 1999-2000:

"Who Owns America?
The top 10 percent of American households own 98 percent of the tax-exempt state and local bonds, 94 percent of business assets, and 95 percent of the value of all trusts. The richest 1 percent own 60 percent of all corporate stock and all business assets. True, some 40 percent of families own some stocks or bonds, but almost all of these have total holdings of less than $2,000. Taking into account their debts and mortgages, 90 percent of American families have little or no net assets." (page 9)

Parenti then goes into how our political system is very much run by and for this tiny owning class and how the rest of us are affected by it.

The book is refreshingly clear, well written, entirely scholarly yet very engaging. None of the partial complaints "Timothy Kidd" cites below apply whatsoever.

A mindless, knee-jerk negative reaction to a rare political science book such as this by some is expected given the extent to which so many unconsciously buy into the business class's pervasive status-quo-protecting viewpoints.

119 of 131 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Many misleading "reviewers" for such a good book., February 6, 2004

By 

OT "delirium_tremens" (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Democracy for the Few (Paperback)

(I give this book 4-1/2 stars)
It's important to be factual here. My copy of this extraordinarily well researched book is the 5th edition, published in 1988. I see a lot of nonsense being put out against this book and would like to touch on 4 of them:

1. Texan Kevin K Gorman (Nov 12, 2002) says in his review that "McCarthyism is a commi word." Nonsense, unless Kevin is from another planet or has stepped from being a humble patriot to being a nationalist, McCarthy is a recognized shameful smudge on this great country. Nothing to do with Commie anything and the word is known the world over to be synonymus with arrogance and repression of individuals. And then "Plutocracy" is not a "commie word" either, it is an acceptable term in Political Science, used for when money controls a society. Comes from Greek ploutos which means wealth, so to explain: Rather than one vote, one man, a Plutocracy would be one dollar, one vote, one thousand dollars one thousand votes. Nothing commi[e] here either but has to do with explaining corruption in a Democracy. Also I checked in my copy on page 82 and see nothing about "electromagnetic mind control from satalites [sic] (p. 82)!". So some people shouldn't write reviews if they are unable to comprehend the meaning in the books they are reading or unable to understand basic facts. Sticking to facts is important.

2. Then Michael Gordon claims that Parenti doesn't want Americans to have cars. Come on! That is ridiculous. That is not a book review. Sticking to facts is important.

3. Matt Nuenke says it is just filled with venom and hate. Very superficial critique of Matt and inability to accept that all countries have some shortcomings to work out, starting by talking about the issues. This is a Political Science book and must be read as such. It certainly is a relief from the unstopping $$$ brainwashing going on in most of our TV's. Sticking to facts is important.

4. Tim Kidd claims that most of the quotes are from People's weekly, The Nation etc. In fact as I am looking at the list of the incredible number of Parenti's quotes, I see most of them are from these newspapers: The New York Times, Washington Post and The Guardian [all VERY reputable] along with a host of books written by various scholars on the numerous societal issues that are important to all of us in the USA. Also, Tim says "most of his citations are from 1985 or earlier." Well, my copy of the book is 5th edition, published in 1988, so it is perfectly normal for Parenti to use sources 1986 and older. Check your facts, Tim, before writing a silly review, Oh yes, and the book is NOT written with a single quote from the Z Magazine. Check this on www.zmag.org that Z Magazine was founded in 1988! that is AFTER Parenti's book is written. Sticking to facts is important, Tim! And yes, I did find ONE quote from the Nation Magazine, in the hundreds of quotes throughout the book maybe there is another one somewhere, but I did find dozens after dozens just from New York Times alone. Almost one on every page.

I do agree that quoting ones own book is not a great way to write based on research, but that I see in a couple of places.

So here we have right-wing reviewers who disagree with an authors politics. These "reviewers" keep refering to "leftist" or "commie" or "hate america" type of name calling. The same reviewers have to resort to lies or hateful wording to "review" the book. One wants the author to die in a horrible accident. This says a lot about these individuals who wrote that stuff and I think Amazon should remove their reviews.
Not very objective I must say. One can disagree with people's politics, but the basic is to at least try and write accurate reviews. At least factual. Stick to facts. Buy the book and find out for yourself. I personally found it a great read and very insightful into the issues of our great country.

BTW, I think every REAL american should read this book.

35 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keep an open mind, America!, August 5, 2005

By 

Seu Yu Hsiung "April" (CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Democracy for the Few (Paperback)

Parenti's work, including this one, are indeed controversial...but that's exactly what I love about Parenti...his work provokes critical thinking on the reader's part...he offers an different view in viewing our political, societal system and history...and no, it's not poorly researched like some of these reviewers has claimed(please look at the history events and news from not just CNN)...and yes, it's opinionated, just as often times different history books all written in their own little biased views...therefore I encourage every reader to read this book, because of the angel that it offers...I think it's a great book that can shatter some people's realty in America, and creat many new critical thinkers of our time!