Congress And The Decline Of Public Trust

by Joseph Cooper

Overview

Since the late 1960s, trust in government has fallen precipitously. The nine essays composing this volume detail the present character of distrust, analyze its causes, assess the dangers it poses, and suggest remedies. The focus is on trust in the Congress. The contributors also examine patterns of trust in societal institutions and the presidency, especially in light of the Clinton impeachment controversy. Among the themes the book highlights are the impacts of present patterns of politics, the consequences of public misunderstanding of democratic politics, the significance of poll data, and the need for reform in campaign finance, media practices, and civic education.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780813368382
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/03/1999
Series:	Transforming American Politics Series
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	252
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)
Lexile:	1470L (what's this?)

About the Author

Joseph Cooper is professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University and served as the University's Provost from 1991-1996. He has previously taught at Rice University, Stanford University, and Harvard University. He has held fellowships from the Brookings Institution and the National Endowment for the Humanities and has testified before congressional committees numerous times on issues relating to American political institutions.

Table of Contents

Foreword: Trust and Democracy — The Puzzle of Distrust — Insiders with a Crisis from Outside — Appreciating Congress — Congress and Public Trust — How Good People Make Bad Collectives — Congress, Public Trust, and Education — Performance and Expectations in American Politics — Epilogue — Trends in Public Trust: 1952-1998