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DEMOCRACY FOR THE FEW is a provocative interpretation of American Government. It shows how democracy is repeatedly violated by corporate oligopolies, and how popular forces have fought back and occasionally made gains in spite of the system. By focusing on the relationship between economic power and political power, discussing actual government practices and policies, conspiracies, propaganda, fraud, secrecy and other ploys of government and politics, this book stands apart in its analysis of how US Government works.
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Cengage Learning; 9 edition (March 10, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0495911267
ISBN-13: 978-0495911265
Product Dimensions: 0.5 x 6.2 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #66,843 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #24 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > United States > State #52 in Books > Textbooks > Social Sciences > Political Science > Political Ideologies #80 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Elections & Political Process > General
Democracy For The Few is an outstanding scholarly review of capitalism as not just an economic model but as an entire social system. It brilliantly treats the contradiction between democratic and elitist values, relentlessly exposing the realities of class power and powerlessness. The author doesn't simply make assertions; he carefully considers the arguments underpinning capitalist legitimacy and finds them sorely wanting on rational grounds. He covers all the major themes of capitalism vs. democracy: the grotesquely lopsided distribution of wealth; corporate propaganda masquerading as objective journalism; self-serving mythology about the U.S. Founding Fathers; the subjugation of labor; the amelioration of capitalist exploitation with social democratic advances (the New Deal); the socialization of risk and the privatization of profit; military intervention abroad and the maintenance of a global system of power; ecological catastrophe and the attack on social programs; institutionalized injustice masquerading as law; political repression and incipient police state tactics; the international dimension of class struggle; elections as public relations extravaganzas; the buying of the Congress; the president as Commander in Chief of world empire; the partisan courts, and suggestions about how to transcend this system with real democracy.Well researched, elegantly written, soundly argued. Buy it, use it, tell others about it.
This book is so profound and well written that I have a hard time leaving anything out of my review, the entire chapter 19 Democracy for the Few starting on page 268 is a good place to begin at the section titled "What is To Be Done" starting on the bottom of page 277 is vital must read material, another must read section is chapter 13 "Mass Media: For the Many, by the Few" starting on page 163, the section titled "The Ideological Monopoly" beginning on the top of page 167 is especially delicious. If you only buy one book a year this is the book you should buy and carefully read every last word in it.
Definitely not what you learn in high school or most college classes. This book gives a truer perspective of American Government and practices. Highly recommended read even if you disagree with what you find.
This book explains how the American political system was designed by its founders not to establish government by the people but to limit and curtail democracy, which they viewed as simply mob rule; and how American history is a history of class struggle between the populace and a hostile ruling elite from whom further democratic gains had constantly to be wrested. It is written simply and clearly and its relevance has only increased since it was first written.
I loved reading this book, because it gave me a very different perspective on our political system. While it is important to take any information with a grain of salt, no discussion should be one-sided. This book paints a very different picture of our political system, and it is clear. I think anyone interested in our political system should read this book. We elect officials to make decisions that affect us today and will affect our coming generations. Therefore, it is our obligation to be involved in the process and up-to-date with what has been going on.#feelthebern
Eye opening! This book changed my perception of the American political system and awakened me to just how far away from democracy our country has become. It is time to make a change and the only way this can happen is if ordinary citizens get involved and let their voice be heard. If we do not take action I fear that generations to come will not enjoy the benefits of democracy in its true form.
This is THE ultimate textbook on American Government and current events from a powerfully progressive leftist. The analysis is so clear, it all makes sense and falls into place how things in American make sense (not that they are good things, but that they do make sense) and how they work to the advantage of the few at the expense of the many.
I know that this is after all a democracy nation, but after reading this book, you might agree with the term Democracy for the few.In the beginning I had no clue why my Political Science Professor wanted us to read this book, but afterwards I can see why now. Michael Parenti is quite hard to understand at first, but if you read on you'll see there are certain patterns that will lead on to why Democracy is after all for the few.
Democracy for the Few Race, Reform, and Regulation of the Electoral Process: Recurring Puzzles in American Democracy (Cambridge Studies in Election Law and Democracy) Democracy More or Less: America's Political Reform Quandary (Cambridge Studies in Election Law and Democracy) Democracy--The God That Failed: The Economics and Politics of Monarchy, Democracy, and Natural Order (Perspectives on Democratic Practice) Losing the News: The Future of the News that Feeds Democracy (Institutions of American Democracy) Democracy Incorporated: Managed Democracy and the Specter of Inverted Totalitarianism Sustainable Market Farming: Intensive Vegetable Production on a Few Acres Build a $1500 Portable Greenhouse or Garden Shed For $150 In Just a few hours without a kit! A Few Acres of Snow: Documents in Pre-Confederation Canadian History, Third Edition Just A FEW People I Want to Punch in the Throat (Vol #1) Disquiet Time: Rants and Reflections on the Good Book by the Skeptical, the Faithful, and a Few Scoundrels Craps & Roulette: A Brief Primer and a Few No BS Betting Strategies That Just Might Improve Your Performance* (*Just as boringly as the casinos do for themselves.) Sports Betting for Beginners: How To Read The Sports Odds So You Can Turn A Few Dollars Into Big Winnings With Sports Betting! With the Help of God and a Few Marines: The Battles of Chateau Thierry and Belleau Wood (Illustrated) Kill as Few Patients as Possible: And Fifty-Six Other Essays on How to Be the World's Best Doctor Kill as Few Patients as Possible: And 56 Other Essays on How to Be the World's Best Doctor The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations The Big Book of Words You Should Know: Over 3,000 Words Every Person Should be Able to Use (And a few that you probably shouldn't) GETTING SCREWED AFTER 80! It's not the Same Definition!: A handbook of senior horror stories, and, a few ways to prevent disaster. Damn Few Died In Bed: My Life In Auto Racing by Andrew G. Dunlop as told to Thomas F. Saal
