Pooh-poohing the grand poohba: progressive social change ended when liberals gave up on the Moose Lodge

Washington Monthly, July-August, 2003 by Gordon Silverstein

But when a new generation of policy entrepreneurs is ready to take to the hustings, Skocpol's book should serve as a lively guide. Among other changes, Skocpol would have us roll back what she calls the "neo-Mugwump reforms" that keep trying (and failing) to keep money out of politics, but succeed instead in building walls between broad-based, cross, class civic organizations and political activity. These reforms--ranging from the Progressive movement's attack on party machines in the early 1900s to modern tax rules designed to keep civic organizations from participating in partisan activity, right through to the McCain-Feingold reforms currently awaiting their fate at the hands of the courts--have done little to revitalize American politics, and have done much to spur the growth of professionally managed advocacy groups while undercutting what few incentives there are to encourage "popular political mobilization, Skocpol would instead urge legislators to facilitate political Participation and entourage cross-class organizations to engage directly in politics--making politics a joy and not a dirty little secret. Isn't it possible that she will be unleashing a monster? That these groups will ultimately undermine her own political preferences? Here Skocpol refreshingly echoes James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, who ultimately placed great confidence in their understanding of human nature in general and the American character in particular: If Americans cross class lines, work together for common objectives and make politics a part of the everyday pursuit of happiness, Skocpol seems convinced that they will do what, to her mind, is the right thing.

But what would it take to trigger this change? Though she doesn't dwell on this, it will probably take some sort of judicial crisis--the explicit toppling of key pillars in the liberal pantheon concerning privacy, due process, or equal protection--before liberal advocacy groups may be willing to take a chance and follow Skocpol's advice. In the meantime, Diminished Democracy should be required reading for everyone on Donald Rumsfeld's nation-building team at the Pentagon. A few more Grand High Exalted Mystic Rulers and a few less exiled lawyers and lobbyists might be just what are needed--in the United States as well as in Iraq.

GORDON SILVERSTEIN is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley, and is finishing a new book titled How Law Kills Politics (W.W. Norton & Co.).