^{Posted on June 8, 2004}

Democracy dwindles with rise in inequality

American Political Science Association
June 7, 2004
American Democracy in an Age of Rising Inequality
By the Association’s Task Force on Inequality and American Democracy

Among the Task Force’s findings based on analysis of the U.S. economy, voting and other forms of political participation, and government policy making:

The United States has, in effect, 2 classes of citizenship: Wealthier Americans are far more active across the board - from voting to contacting government officials and joining pressure groups in Washington-than are those with lower incomes.

Both major political parties target many of their resources on recruiting those who are already the most privileged and involved.

The Internet, which offers opportunities for virtual political participation and communication among citizens, may actually be reinforcing existing inequalities because it is more accessible to affluent, non-Hispanic whites, and the highly educated.

The decline in union membership has reduced the traditional role of blue-collar trade unions in bringing working Americans into the political process.

The rise of “public interest” citizen associations has not significantly corrected the bias of the system toward the more privileged.

The economic disparities of U.S. citizens are growing more sharply in the United States than in other democratic nations like Britain, Canada, France,
Germany and Italy.

Economic gaps have widened not just between the poor and the rest of society
but also between privileged professionals, managers and business owners on
the one hand, and the middle strata of regular white-collar and blue-collar employees on the other. Indeed, the report noted, “the very richest one percent of Americans has pulled away from not only the poor but also the middle class.” Individuals with privilege were less likely to press for policies aimed at problems with medical costs, education, housing, jobs and child care that affect the less well-off.

Theda Skocpol, Director of the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University:

”…disparities in participation ensure that ordinary Americans speak in a whisper while the most advantaged roar. The concerns of lower or moderate income Americans, racial and ethnic minorities, and legal immigrants are systematically less likely to be heard by government officials. In contrast, the interests and preferences of the better-off are conveyed with clarity, consistency, and forcefulness.”

http://www.apsanet.org/news/index.cfm#inequality

Press release:
http://www.apsanet.org/Inequality/MediaPressRelease.pdf

To download a 22 page short version of the report:
http://www.apsanet.org/Inequality/generalreport.cfm

Comment: As if democracy alone were not enough, it seems that we need new
policies that will incentivize ordinary Americans to become a roaring voice in the democratic process. Without such policies, health care equity will remain only our pipe dream. But then could the roar of the masses with their disparate needs ever drown out the clear, consistent and forceful roar of the better-off?

Back to work. And back to whispering…