The Politics of Hope: Reviving the Dream of Democracy (Paperback)

~ Donna Zajonc (Author) "You must have opened this book for a reason..." (more)
Key Phrases: political habitat, reviving the dream, conscious political leader, Stage Four, Stage Three, Four Stages of Political Evolution (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Donna Zajonc, a leadership coach, and former three-term elected state legislator, asserts that we must adopt a view beyond the traditional two party system; taking note of its inherent flaws. In, The Politics of Hope: Reviving the Dream of Democracy, she directly confronts the rising prevalence of disenchantment and cynicism toward the current partisan system. According to Zajonc, the current state of the political arena is a mess. The partisan system only produces a stalemate between parties, a situation where clearly no one wins. Only with conscious public leaders utilizing non-partisan collaborative methods and shared respect, can the traditional system transform its collective positive attributes into one successful whole. With elections coming up, Zajonc offers a unique and refreshing perspective on transforming a deteriorating political system.

From the Inside Flap

In The Politics of Hope, Donna Zajonc inspires us to rejoin the political scene as public leaders, actively participating in the evolution of the rapidly-changing phenomenon we call democracy. Zajonc has made simple food of an elaborate smorgasbord of politics and social theories, offering readers a clear look at where we have been politically and where we must go in the future. She outlines our country’s essential passage from fear to hope in the Four Stages of Political Evolution:

From Stage One Anarchy to Stage Two Traditionalism (the two-party war) we remain polarized and afraid of one another, unable to accomplish our common goals. In Stage Three Political Resignation we stand at the doorway to Stage Four Conscious Public Leadership, of the Politics of Hope. In Stage Four we join the greatest leaders of humanity, by putting we before me. Our political life then reflects the spirit of cooperation, mutual inspiration, and unwavering concern for the collective good.

A political leadership coach who has brought nonpartisan awareness and clarity to a wide variety of candidates for public office, Zajonc’s The Politics of Hope offers Seven Practices for Becoming a Conscious Public Leader, providing ordinary citizens as well as public servants with a firm foundation for action in this time of global change.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Synergy Books (October 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974764485
• ISBN-13: 978-0974764481
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,025,129 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Applies to Canadian Politics as Well, January 21, 2007

By	Alice Finnamore (Scotch Settlement, New Brunswick Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Zajonc's book is applicable not only to American politics, but to Canadian as well. She speaks of four stages of political evolution, from anarchy and traditionalism, through resignation to the politics of hope.

In the spring of 2005, I was in the resignation stage. Never one to be involved in politics beyond voting on election day, I was fed up with the state of affairs in Ottawa. Government seemed to be more about destroying the other parties than about the good of the country.

There has to be a better way, I said to myself. I was soon surprising myself by entering the race for federal office. Over and over I heard myself saying, "We have to learn to work together." I am still saying this, and am so pleased to have found Zajonc's book as a concise and articulate voice toward that end.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for Those Who Care About Leaders , November 9, 2004

By	Lisa Holden (Connecticut) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Politics of Hope lays out an insightful premise that I realize now is absolutely true:what distinguishes those political leaders who leave a positive and lasting impact on their world from those who don't is not political affiliation or fund raising skills or even organizational savvy. Its their stage of conscious development, an argument the author establishes with clarity, examples and compelling reason. I immediately understood why some leaders are attractive to me while others leave me hungry for something more. This could just as easily be a book about the evolution of conscious leadership, not just conscious political leadership.

A must read for anyone committed to social change on a local, state or national level. I was actually left with a greater sense of hope that it's not crazy but genuinely possible to cultivate greater consciousness in one's own leadership and that this act alone evokes greater contributions from those around us. The Politics of Hope shows there is something greater than fear to bring us forward as a nation and as a planet.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beacon of Light, October 13, 2004

By	T. Heeringa - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Politics of Hope is a brilliant treatise on the political picture in the US today. It filled me with a sense of hope for our future that I have not had in a long time. Donna Zajonc examines the evolution of political thought and action. She describes the collaborative climate that will help us move beyond the political quagmire we find ourselves in today. I sense an urgency to "get it out there" and I have fifteen to twenty friends who must read this.