Real Democracy: The New England Town Meeting and How It Works (American Politics and Political Economy Series) - Softcover

Bryan, Frank M.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0226077977 ISBN 13: 9780226077970

Verlag: University of Chicago Press, 2003

Inhaltsangabe

Book by Bryan Frank M

Über diesen Titel

Críticas

"[Bryan's] tour de force is "Real Democracy," already being hailed as the definitive book on town meetings.""Vermont Life "Frank Bryan . . . is arguably (and you can bet he''d enjoy arguing about it) the nation''s leading scholar on town meeting democracy. What can''t be argued is that he is it''s most passionate and eloquent promoter." "''At a New England town meeting, '' Bryan proclaims, ''[Adolf Hitler] would have at once been recognized as a flaming jackass and subtly ostracized into impotence.'' The serious point buried in his exuberant hyperbole is the lesson at the heart of this immensely readable and valuable book." "[Real Democracy] is splendid in every respect. . . . I know of no other book quite like it-it is a scholarly page-flipper.' Each page brims with new and unexpected insights. [Bryan] generates valuable characterizations of town meetings, and his conclusions about the relationship between democracy in practice in Vermont towns and our nation's democracy should be considered by all."-Richard F. Winters, Burlington Free Press (VT) -- Richard F. Winters "Burlington Free Press (VT)" ""This volume is the result of a labour that has stretched through thirty years of an academic career, yet it is as fresh, relevant, engaging and exciting as it is definitive. . . . The book is solidly scholarly, but is enlivened with astute, enlightening, touching, funny and occasionally moving observations. The meetings come to life, without the discipline of the analysis ever being lost."--Philip John Davies "Journal of American Studies " "Let a good scholar labor a lifetime and then produce the unique and valuable book he was born to write. Professor Bryan has done this with considerable vigor and charm. His book is altogether a splendid piece of research, of imaginative data gathering, and of shrewd analysis."--Ronald Jager "Historical New Hampshire " "[The author] set out with his students'' help to discover the essence of this democracy and to tell others about it. The result is the best book I have ever read on local government. It is, in unequal parts: careful consideration of democratic theory; exploration of a great range of germane empirical work; very rigorous, original quantitative research; vignette; personal diary; and handbook on engaging students in real social science. The writing . . . is direct and consistently engaging. The social science . . . is creative and imaginative. And I have rarely seen the results of systematic quantitative research so clearly and accessibly explained."--Gerald Benjamin "Political Science Quarterly " "I wish I had written this book. It is witty (about Vermont village life) and wise (about everything from Athenian democracy to the ecological fallacy). It deals with a phenomenon that deserves attention from every American concerned about the future of our polity. Town meetings are hardly the primary solution to what ails our democracy, but understanding how they work could help us design reforms on a larger canvas. Too few books are both fun and important, but this one is."Robert D. Putnam, Harvard University--Robert D. Putnam, Harvard University ""Real Democracy" is an outstanding book that should be 'must reading' for any citizen concerned about the well-being of democracy in America and for all analysts interested in democratic practice. Bryan's book is a towering achievement, a product of a dedicated political scientist with a clear vision of the meaning of democracy and how best to assess its health and actions."Richard F. Winters, Dartmouth College--Richard F. Winters, Dartmouth College ""Real Democracy" is a magnificent analysis of the New England town meeting. It should be read again and again over the next hundred (indeed, the next thousand) years. Whether existing town meetings flourish and provide a model for the rest of the world or whether they lose their power and begin to wither, this book will provide the scholarly world's only basis for their systematic comparison in the future."Jane Mansbridge, Harvard University--Jane Mansbridge, Harvard University "["Real Democracy"] is splendid in every respect. . . . I know of no other book quite like it--it is a scholarly 'page-flipper.' Each page brims with new and unexpected insights. [Bryan] generates valuable characterizations of town meetings, and his conclusions about the relationship between democracy in practice in Vermont towns and our nation's democracy should be considered by all."--Richard F. Winters, "Burlington"" Free Press (VT)"--Richard F. Winters "Burlington Free Press (VT) " "[The author] set out with his students' help to discover the essence of this democracy and to tell others about it. The result is the best book I have ever read on local government. It is, in unequal parts: careful consideration of democratic theory; exploration of a great range of germane empirical work; very rigorous, original quantitative research; vignette; personal diary; and handbook on engaging students in real social science. The writing . . . is direct and consistently engaging. The social science . . . is creative and imaginative. And I have rarely seen the results of systematic quantitative research so clearly and accessibly explained."--Gerald Benjamin "Political Science Quarterly " I wish I had written this book.It is witty (about Vermont village life) and wise (about everything from Athenian democracy to the ecological fallacy).It deals with a phenomenon that deserves attention from every American concerned about the future of our polity. Town meetings are hardly the primary solution to what ails our democracy, but understanding how they work could help us design reforms on a larger canvas. Too few books are both fun and important, but this one is. Robert D. Putnam, Harvard University--Robert D. Putnam, Harvard University" "Real Democracy" is a magnificent analysis of the New England town meeting. It should be read again and again over the next hundred (indeed, the next thousand) years. Whether existing town meetings flourish and provide a model for the rest of the world or whether they lose their power and begin to wither, this book will provide the scholarly world s only basis for their systematic comparison in the future. Jane Mansbridge, Harvard University--Jane Mansbridge, Harvard University" "Real Democracy" is an outstanding book that should be must reading for any citizen concerned about the well-being of democracy in America and for all analysts interested in democratic practice.Bryan s book is a towering achievement, a product of a dedicated political scientist with a clear vision of the meaning of democracy and how best to assess its health and actions. Richard F. Winters, Dartmouth College--Richard F. Winters, Dartmouth College" ["Real Democracy"] is splendid in every respect. . . . I know of no other book quite like it it is a scholarly page-flipper. Each page brims with new and unexpected insights. [Bryan] generates valuable characterizations of town meetings, and his conclusions about the relationship between democracy in practice in Vermont towns and our nation s democracy should be considered by all. --Richard F. Winters "Burlington Free Press (VT) "" Bryan has performed yeoman s work in this landmark comparative study of town meetings. . . . The prospective audience for this significant book will likely be diverse, including political scientists (and their students . . . ), as well as appointed and elected government officials. It also would naturally appeal to community and neighborhood advocates and general readers who are rightly concerned about the future of American democracy. --G. Thomas Taylor "Perspectives on Politics "" Bryan s book is very different in several respects, which makes it all the more refreshing. It is to the author s credit that he straddles the boundaries of qualitative and quantitative research with such ease. . . . Bryan has clearly produced the definitive text on New England town hall democracy. In time, the book may very well become a classic. --Anthony O Halloran "Political Studies Review "" --This volume is the result of a labour that has stretched through thirty years of an academic career, yet it is as fresh, relevant, engaging and exciting as it is definitive. . . . The book is solidly scholarly, but is enlivened with astute, enlightening, touching, funny and occasionally moving observations. The meetings come to life, without the discipline of the analysis ever being lost.---Philip John Davies -Journal of American Studies - "Bryan has performed yeoman's work in this landmark comparative study of town meetings. . . . The prospective audience for this significant book will likely be diverse, including political scientists (and their students . . . ), as well as appointed and elected government officials. It also would naturally appeal to community and neighborhood advocates and general readers who are rightly concerned about the future of American democracy."--G. Thomas Taylor "Perspectives on Politics " "Bryan's book is very different in several respects, which makes it all the more refreshing. It is to the author's credit that he straddles the boundaries of qualitative and quantitative research with such ease. . . . Bryan has clearly produced the definitive text on New England town hall democracy. In time, the book may very well become a classic."--Anthony O'Halloran "Political Studies Review " "[Real Democracy] is splendid in every respect. . . . I know of no other book quite like it--it is a scholarly 'page-flipper.' Each page brims with new and unexpected insights. [Bryan] generates valuable characterizations of town meetings, and his conclusions about the relationship between democracy in practice in Vermont towns and our nation's democracy should be considered by all."--Richard F. Winters "Burlington Free Press (VT) " "Real Democracy is an outstanding book that should be 'must reading' for any citizen concerned about the well-being of democracy in America and for all analysts interested in democratic practice. Bryan's book is a towering achievement, a product of a dedicated political scientist with a clear vision of the meaning of democracy and how best to assess its health and actions."Richard F. Winters, Dartmouth College--Richard F. Winters, Dartmouth College "Real Democracy is a magnificent analysis of the New England town meeting. It should be read again and again over the next hundred (indeed, the next thousand) years. Whether existing town meetings flourish and provide a model for the rest of the world or whether they lose their power and begin to wither, this book will provide the scholarly world's only basis for their systematic comparison in the future."Jane Mansbridge, Harvard University--Jane Mansbridge, Harvard University "Frank Bryan has written a classic of American political science and a book that will entrance scholars of democracy world-wide. The culmination of a life's work, Real Democracy relentlessly interrogates the New England town meeting. . . . Real Democracy is a good book because of 30 years of careful research on a neglected topic; it is a great book because it is the fulfillment of a lifetime's passion: a 'lover's quarrel' with democracy as representation."--Laurence Piper "Theoria " "This book is informative and entertaining, a rare combination for a scholarly study." --Thomas A. Karel "Library Journal " "[Bryan] writes tellingly and thoroughly about Vermont's 210 annual town meetings over three decades . . . Bryan employs many of the sophisticated methodologies of political science to demonstrate that the New England town meeting is not merely a traditional method by which early Americans governed themselves. It still works well. . . . Obviously, New England can't be transferred to Iraq and Afghanistan, but its lessons are still relevant." --Robert I. Rothberg "Christian Science Monitor " "And now the irrepressible Bryan has made a major contribution to his field (and his country, which is Vermont) with Real Democracy, his magnum opus, the most searching and sympathetic book ever written about the town meeting democracy of New England. The book is a veritable four-leaf clover of academia: a witty work of political science written from a defiantly rural populist point of view. If the Green Mountains had a face, it would be Frank Bryan. With Real Democracy, he has given his state, and us outlanders as well, the most detailed and affectionate portrait of a town meeting, which is, as Bryan says, 'where you learn to be a good citizen'." --Bill Kauffman"The American Conservative" (09/13/2004) "Simultaneously nostalgic and up-to-the-minute. Bryan's book arrives as interest in local civic capital and 'deliberate democracy'--as contrasted with the old-fashioned adversarial style--is surging." --Christopher Shea "Boston Globe " " Bryan writes tellingly and thoroughly about Vermont's 210 annual town meetings over three decades . . . Bryan employs many of the sophisticated methodologies of political science to demonstrate that the New England town meeting is not merely a traditional method by which early Americans governed themselves. It still works well. . . . Obviously, New England can't be transferred to Iraq and Afghanistan, but its lessons are still relevant." -- Robert I. Rothberg "Christian Science Monitor" "'At a New England town meeting, ' Bryan proclaims, ' Adolf Hitler would have at once been recognized as a flaming jackass and subtly ostracized into impotence.' The serious point buried in his exuberant hyperbole is the lesson at the heart of this immensely readable and valuable book."

Reseña del editor

Can ordinary people really gather together and make laws that are binding on themselves and their communities? Frank M. Bryan discusses this with particular reference to the New England town meeting which provides a model of such a pure form of democracy.

Über diese Auflage

• Verlag: University of Chicago Press
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0226077977
• ISBN 13: 9780226077970
• Einband: Tapa blanda
• Auflage: 2
• Anzahl der Seiten: 332