Process Preferences and American Politics: What the People Want Government to Be.

HOW should democratic government work? This question has been debated by political philosophers since the birth of democracy in Athens 2,500 years ago, but we do not know much about the ordinary American's answer. Understanding public desires concerning the processes and structures of government is crucial for several reasons.

Negative attitudes may discourage prospective politicians from serving, sitting politicians (or whole institutions) from tackling controversial policy issues, and ordinary people from participating in politics. They also may embolden some people to view ...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.