The Democratic Debate

The Democratic Debate examines the struggle between the elite and popular models of democracy which, the authors argue, have alternated as the dominant vision in America since its founding. The text uses the standard of popular democracy to examine the United States from anti-federalism to contemporary social movements. Special attention is given to people, famous and otherwise, whose actions demonstrate how individuals can make a difference in democracy. Thorough coverage of recent events includes a discussion of Enron and issues of corporate responsibility, the evolution of the Christian Right into a mass movement, the protests against the War in Iraq, and the Terry Schiavo case as it relates to Federalism.