Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
  1. Home
  2. Books
  3. Frustrated Majorities
  • Cited by 4
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Online publication date:
September 2022
Print publication year:
2022
Online ISBN:
9781009167697
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009167697
Series:
Political Economy of Institutions and Decisions
Subjects:
Area Studies, American Studies, American Government, Politics and Policy, Political Economy, Politics and International Relations
Information

Book description

Democratic elections do not always deliver what majorities want. Many conclude from frustrated majorities a failure of democracy. This book argues the opposite may be true – that politicians who represent their constituents sometimes frustrate majorities. A theory of issue intensity explains how the intensity with which different voters care about political issues drives key features of elections, political participation, representation, and public policy. Because candidates for office are more certain of winning the votes of those who care intensely, they sometimes side with an intense minority over a less intense majority. Voters who care intensely communicate their intensity by taking political action: volunteering, contributing, and speaking out. From questions like whose voices should matter in a democracy to whose voices actually matter, this rigorous book blends ideas from democratic theory and formal political economy with new empirical evidence to tackle a topic of central importance to American politics.

Reviews

‘In an engaging use of rational choice, Hill applies formal theory to public opinion and electoral data to produce what he calls a 'theory of intensity.' This theory argues that political minorities who care intensely about a policy issue are apt to prevail over an apathetic majority. Though the central idea is not new in political science and, in recent years, has been a subject of growing concern, Hill’s work suggests why it reflects the choices of both voters and politicians. … Recommended.’

M. Price Source: Choice

‘… this ambitious book is well worth reading. The model is carefully constructed and tightly argued, and the subsequent empirical chapters provide supportive evidence.'

Kirby Goidel Source: Perspectives on Politics

‘Challenging our preconceptions is what a good book does, and on this count Seth Hill’s book unquestionably succeeds.’

Kirby Goidel, Nicholas T. Davis and Keith Gåddie Source: Perspectives on Politics

Refine List

Actions for selected content:

Select all | Deselect all
  • View selected items
  • Export citations
  • Download PDF (zip)
  • Save to Kindle
  • Save to Dropbox
  • Save to Google Drive

Save Search

You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
Cancel
×

Contents

Contents
References

Metrics

Altmetric attention score

Full text views

Total number of HTML views: 0
Total number of PDF views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

Book summary page views

Total views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

* Views captured on Cambridge Core between #date#. This data will be updated every 24 hours.

Usage data cannot currently be displayed.