The Paradox of American Democracy

John Judis is the author of The Paradox of American Democracy, Senior Editor of The New Republic and a former Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center.

There is very particular logic to American democracy. Voters, special interest groups and elites participate in very precise and delicately balanced ways. The sum of their efforts is what can be called a well-functioning democracy in the American style. This is what happens when things work well. Currently, things are not working well. The delicate balance is out of kilter. Voters are alienated, lobbyists dominate
and elites no longer act on a sense of the common good. Author John Judis explains the problems, its causes and its possible solutions.