Democracy: A Case Study

by David A. Moss

Overview

Historian David Moss adapts the case study method made famous by Harvard Business School to revitalize our conversations about governance and democracy and show how the United States has often thrived on political conflict. These 19 cases ask us to weigh choices and consequences, wrestle with momentous decisions, and come to our own conclusions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780674971455
Publisher:	Harvard
Publication date:	02/21/2017
Pages:	784
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.70(d)

About the Author

David A. Moss is the Paul Whiton Cherington Professor at Harvard Business School and the founder of the Tobin Project, a nonprofit research organization that has received the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions. He has received the Student Association Faculty Award for outstanding teaching at the Harvard Business School eight times. Democracy: A Case Study grew out of a course he created for Harvard undergraduates and business school students that has been taught to the United States Congress and to state congresses and that is now being brought to high schools throughout America as part of the High School Case Method Project, which Professor Moss oversees at Harvard Business School.

Table of Contents

Introduction: E Pluribus Unum 1

1 James Madison, the "Federal Negative," and the Making of the U.S. Constitution (1787) 16

2 Battle over a Bank: Defining the Limits of Federal Power under a New Constitution (1791) 45

3 Democracy, Sovereignty, and the Struggle over Cherokee Removal (1836) 70

4 Banking and Politics in Antebellum New York (1838) 109

5 Property, Suffrage, and the "Right of Revolution" in Rhode Island (1842) 143

6 Debt and Democracy: The New York Constitutional Convention of 1846 177

7 The Struggle over Public Education in Early America (1851) 208

8 A Nation Divided: The United States and the Challenge of Secession (1861) 244

9 Race, Justice, and the Jury System in Postbellum Virginia (1880) 280

10 An Australian Ballot for California? (1891) 310

11 Labor, Capital, and Government: The Anthracite Coal Strike of 1902 330

12 The Jungle and the Debate over Federal Meat Inspection (1906) 365

13 The Battle over the Initiative and Referendum in Massachusetts (1918) 397

14 Regulating Radio in the Age of Broadcasting (1927) 429

15 The Pecora Hearings (1932-1934) 451

16 Martin Luther King and the Struggle for Black Voting Rights (1965) 491

17 Democracy and Women's Rights in America: The Fight over the ERA (1982) 537

18 Leadership and Independence at the Federal Reserve (2009) 587

19 Citizens United and Corporate Speech (2010) 632

Conclusion 667

Appendix: Follow-Ups to Cases 703

Acknowledgments 741

Index 743

Editorial Reviews

12/05/2016
It’s hard to imagine a timelier book, given America’s tumultous 2016 elections, than this eminently readable survey of political disputes by Moss (Preventing Regulatory Capture), a Harvard professor of business administration. Moss believes that “American democracy has survived” not through agreement but “conflict—sometimes intense conflict—mediated, generally, by shared ideals.” He supports his belief with 19 examples, ranging from the Constitutional Convention of 1787 up through the Supreme Court’s controversial 2010 Citizens United decision. The 19 cases are the basis of a course he teaches to both undergraduates and graduates, and he offers his readers an opportunity to engage in critical thinking themselves by leaving each section unresolved, so that they can come to their own decisions as to which side of a particular controversy they come down on. (An appendix reveals the eventual decision reached in each case.) The examples have been carefully chosen to illustrate a range of issues, from hot-button ones, such as voting rights, to the less noted, such as the role of administrative agencies in meat safety inspection. Moss concludes by offering some interesting suggestions “for revitalizing democratic engagement and commitment,” based on his historical analyses. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

Democracy: A Case Study gives us the facts of key controversies in our history--from the adoption of the Constitution to Citizens United--and invites readers to decide for themselves. This novel approach makes American history a valuable resource for civic education.--Michael J. Sandel, author of What Money Can't Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets

In this powerfully provocative exploration of the nation's core political values, David Moss shows why after more than two centuries we cannot take democracy for granted. Drawing on a number of well-selected case studies, he invites readers to interrogate the fundamental assumptions that have informed our civil society since the ratification of the Constitution.--Timothy H. Breen, Northwestern University

Democracy should command the attention of teachers and students of all ages...Moss's case studies are engagingly written, well researched, rich in content and context...Moss believes that fierce political conflicts can be constructive if they are mediated by shared ideals. He seems to demonstrate, moreover, that in a world in which 'alternative facts' are gaining traction, an informed understanding of the past can help us identify pathways to a prosperous and just democracy.--Glenn C. Altschuler"Huffington Post" (02/09/2017)

Moss makes [his] argument in his brilliant introductory and concluding chapters, while the core of the book consists of 19 cases from throughout U.S. history that exemplify the complexity of political conflict.--Suzanne Mettler"Foreign Affairs" (05/01/2017)

If this book does not read like a prediction of the present, then perhaps its sangfroid will nevertheless suit the reader with nerves jangled by the news. David Moss suggests we ought to be overdefensive of democracy; he recommends a salutary 'political hypochondria.' It seems an appropriate neurosis for the moment.--Eric Rauchway"Times Literary Supplement" (05/03/2017)

From the Publisher

★ 2016-11-02
A vigorous civics lesson of 19 case studies that illustrate America's evolving democratic processes and institutions.Based on a course at Harvard Business School taught by Moss (A Concise Guide to Macroeconomics, 2007, etc.), this set of well-documented, accessible essays presents the prickly challenges facing the rapidly changing American democracy, for lawmakers and citizens alike. The author aims to give readers an immediate sense of whether these conflicts provided constructive or destructive forces to the republic. The lively debate over the making of the Constitution and the states' bruising battle for ratification showcase the first important challenge to the new nation. It's a well-worn piece of American history, but the author's third essay, about the arguments for and against Cherokee Removal (1836), is less trod, and he shows how it divided lawmakers and Native Americans alike over the issue of sovereignty. No doubt reflecting Moss' areas of expertise, several of these fascinating cases involve the banking system, and not just Alexander Hamilton's push to establish a national bank. The author also examines banking and political reforms in New York (1838) and the issue of debt at the New York Constitutional Convention of 1846, and he surveys the evolution of the Federal Reserve, culminating in the crisis of 2007-2009. Moss emphasizes the dramatic changes that have taken place at the state and local levels, such as the struggle over public education and its funding in early America (1851). However, as he points out, since the late 18th century, there has been "far less expansion of formal popular influence at the federal level." The author also delineates the reform of the jury system in terms of racial equality, the adoption of the secret ballot, the influence of muckraking journalism on the abuses of big government (e.g., Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, 1906), and the dire ramifications of allowing First Amendment rights for corporations (Citizens United, 2010), among other compelling cases. A sterling educational tool that offers a fresh presentation of how "democracy in America has always been a contact sport."

Kirkus Reviews

Democracy should command the attention of teachers and students of all ages…Moss’s case studies are engagingly written, well researched, rich in content and context…Moss believes that fierce political conflicts can be constructive if they are mediated by shared ideals. He seems to demonstrate, moreover, that in a world in which ‘alternative facts’ are gaining traction, an informed understanding of the past can help us identify pathways to a prosperous and just democracy.

Huffington Post - Glenn C. Altschuler

Democracy: A Case Study gives us the facts of key controversies in our history—from the adoption of the Constitution to Citizens United—and invites readers to decide for themselves. This novel approach makes American history a valuable resource for civic education.

Michael J. Sandel

This absolutely splendid book is a triumph on every level. A first-rate history of the United States, it is beautifully written, deeply researched, and filled with entertaining stories. For anyone who wants to see our democracy flourish, this is the book to read.

Doris Kearns Goodwin

If this book does not read like a prediction of the present, then perhaps its sangfroid will nevertheless suit the reader with nerves jangled by the news. David Moss suggests we ought to be overdefensive of democracy; he recommends a salutary ‘political hypochondria.’ It seems an appropriate neurosis for the moment.

Times Literary Supplement - Eric Rauchway

In this powerfully provocative exploration of the nation’s core political values, David Moss shows why after more than two centuries we cannot take democracy for granted. Drawing on a number of well-selected case studies, he invites readers to interrogate the fundamental assumptions that have informed our civil society since the ratification of the Constitution.

Timothy H. Breen

Moss makes [his] argument in his brilliant introductory and concluding chapters, while the core of the book consists of 19 cases from throughout U.S. history that exemplify the complexity of political conflict.

Foreign Affairs - Suzanne Mettler

Brilliantly adapting the provocative format of the Harvard Business School's case study method, Democracy: A Case Study challenges readers to think anew on topics ranging from James Madison's quest for a workable federalism to such modern flashpoints as the power of the Federal Reserve and the Citizens United decision. Each episode is crisp and compelling, entertaining and inspiring. The effect is nothing less than to open the gates of our most elite university to the reading public.

Roger Lowenstein

If we are going to breathe new life into democracy, there is no better way to begin than by reacquainting ourselves with our history. David Moss does this brilliantly in Democracy: A Case Study. Through well-chosen examples, drawn from his case-method course at Harvard, he helps us to understand the paths chosen and not chosen, and how each generation has adapted to new realities. Democracy may be something of a contact sport, as he argues, but we can play the game better if we understand the rules and why they keep changing. This timely book goes a long way toward that end.

Ted Widmer