Overview

Lurking in the back of the minds of many students of American government is the question, How well does the American political system work? This book examines this in a way that is broad in approach and accessible to readers. Such an ambitious examination of the effectiveness of the American policymaking system leads to one inescapable question: how can you measure effectiveness? The answer taken in this book is to employ a number of different criteria. These criteria include: * the public's attitudes towards the institutions of government * the degree in which all participate equally in political activities * the level of which public policy is responsive to public opinion * the ability of the actors in the process to create effective public policy * the extent the political system imposes costs and benefits on us equally, regardless of our economic condition race, gender, or age In doing so, this book ties together and expands upon numerous scholarly studies conducted on American public policymaking and uses David Truman's Systems Model as a conceptual guide. Because of the large amount of data presented, the book will also serve as a reference source for others conducting research on American public policy.

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9781442261945

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A fresh look at the status of American democracy through a systems perspective wherein public trust and confidence in government are of central concern.--Christopher A. Simon William Schreckhise's work is a valuable addition to the understanding of how public policy in the United States is made. The focus on the inequality inherent in policy system outputs challenges one to reexamine traditional approaches to studying U.S. public policy.--Patrick Fisher, Seton Hall University

A fresh look at the status of American democracy through a systems perspective wherein public trust and confidence in government are of central concern. -- Christopher A. Simon William Schreckhise's work is a valuable addition to the understanding of how public policy in the United States is made. The focus on the inequality inherent in policy system outputs challenges one to reexamine traditional approaches to studying U.S. public policy. -- Patrick Fisher, Seton Hall University

Author Information

William D. Schreckhise is associate professor of political science at the University of Arkansas.

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