American Democracy in Peril : Seven Challenges to America's Future

Provocative and clearly written, this book challenges the reader to reflect on the problems of American democracy. This new and updated third edition expands exploration of what Hudson considers are the major challenges to American democracy: the separation of power: radical individualism: citizen participation: trivialized elections: the privileged position of business: inequality; and the national security system.The book emphasizes such critical and topical political issues as the persistence of economic inequality despite the economic prosperity of the late 1990s; the Clinton scandals and the impeachment controversy; the impact of globalization on business; the role of soft money in the 1996, 1998, and 2000 election campaigns; the post-Cold War national security state; and the consequences of the Gulf War and Kosovo interventions.