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Virtual Politics

Author: Andrew Wilson

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2005-01-01

Total Pages: 364

ISBN-13: 9780300095456

States like Russia and Ukraine may not have gone back to totalitarianism or the traditional authoritarian formula of stuffing the ballot box, cowing the population and imprisoning the opposition - or not obviously. But a whole industry of 'political technology' has developed instead, with shadowy private firms and government 'fixers' on lucrative contracts dedicated to the black arts of organizing electoral success. This book uncovers the sophisticated techniques of the 'virtual' political system used to legitimize post-Soviet regimes; entire fake parties, phantom political rivals and 'scarecrow' opponents. And it exposes the paramount role of the mass media in projecting these creations and in falsifying the entire political process. Wilson argues that it is not primarily economic problems that have made it so difficult to develop meaningful democracy in the former Soviet world. Although the West also has its 'spin doctors', dirty tricks, and aggressive ad campaigns, it is the unique post-Bolshevik culture of 'political technology' that is the main obstacle to better governance in the region, to real popular participation in public affairs, and to the modernization of the political economy in the longer term.

Post-Truth, Fake News and Democracy

Author: Johan Farkas

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-08-23

Total Pages: 194

ISBN-13: 1000507289

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Western societies are under siege, as fake news, post-truth and alternative facts are undermining the very core of democracy. This dystopian narrative is currently circulated by intellectuals, journalists and policy makers worldwide. In this book, Johan Farkas and Jannick Schou deliver a comprehensive study of post-truth discourses. They critically map the normative ideas contained in these and present a forceful call for deepening democracy. The dominant narrative of our time is that democracy is in a state of emergency caused by social media, changes to journalism and misinformed masses. This crisis needs to be resolved by reinstating truth at the heart of democracy, even if this means curtailing civic participation and popular sovereignty. Engaging with critical political philosophy, Farkas and Schou argue that these solutions neglect the fact that democracy has never been about truth alone: it is equally about the voice of the democratic people. Post-Truth, Fake News and Democracy delivers a sobering diagnosis of our times. It maps contemporary discourses on truth and democracy, foregrounds their normative foundations and connects these to historical changes within liberal democracies. The book will be of interest to students and scholars studying the current state and future of democracy, as well as to a politically informed readership.

A User's Guide to Democracy

Author: Nick Capodice

Publisher: Macmillan + ORM

Published: 2020-09-08

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13: 1250779944

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From Nick Capodice & Hannah McCarthy, the hosts of New Hampshire Public Radio’s Civics 101, and New Yorker cartoonist Tom Toro, A User's Guide to Democracy is a lively crash course in everything you should know about how the US government works. Do you know what the Secretary of Defense does all day? Are you sure you know the difference between the House and the Senate? Have you been pretending you know what Federalism is for the last 20 years? Don’t worry--you’re not alone. The American government and its processes can be dizzyingly complex and obscure. Until now. Within this book are the keys to knowing what you’re talking about when you argue politics with the uncle you only see at Thanksgiving. It’s the book that sits on your desk for quick reference when the nightly news boggles your mind. This approachable and informative guide gives you the lowdown on everything from the three branches of government, to what you can actually do to make your vote count, to how our founding documents affect our daily lives. Now is the time to finally understand who does what, how they do it, and the best way to get them to listen to you.

False Dawn

Author: Steven A. Cook

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 361

ISBN-13: 0190611413

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In False Dawn, noted Middle East regional expert Steven Cook offers a sweeping narrative account of the past five years, moving from Turkey to Tunisia to Yemen to Iraq to Egypt and beyond, ultimately presenting a powerful theoretical analysis of why the Arab Spring failed.

STOP PRETENDING, AMERICA! An Outsider's Guide to Healing the Sickness in Democracy and Media

Author: Philip J Gimson

Publisher: Philip J Gimson

Published: 2024-01-29

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781649992703

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In America's darkest hour, the author addresses what's at stake: challenging readers, providing practical tools to obtain answers on whether widespread 2020 election fraud enabled "The Steal," while holding the media's feet to the fire. This book piques and penetrates, leaving no room for ambivalence or complacency, regardless of your political party affiliation. Nor can any of us stay on the same path, headed for a dangerous cliff. We must unite-or face the very real threat of America's Civil War II. Political Outsider Philip J. Gimson was a reporter-editor before transitioning into PR, real estate and recruiting. At age five, he watched TV reports of JFK's assassination with his father, who escaped Nazi Germany's collapsed democracy in 1939. This historical link framed his father's views of American government-in turn the author's. Residing in Pennsylvania, Gimson coaches retired and enlisted military personnel seeking new careers as a Candorful.org volunteer.

The Myth of American Democracy

Author: Trenton Fervor

Publisher: iUniverse

Published: 2013-04-10

Total Pages: 265

ISBN-13: 1475981015

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In his current work, Trenton Fervorauthor of The Last Individual: The Ascendancy of the Sociomaniacal Mindsetdelivers a critical exposition of democracy and its defects. The Myth of American Democracy is an unapologetic critique of the American political system and an attempt to dismantle the mystique perpetuated to sanctify and sanction it. Fervor entreats the reader to reexamine the notion of democracy and its attendant processesabsent the sophistic demagogueryand to more closely consider the actual nature of the institution, and the establishment behemoth which inhabits and advances it. The reader is encouraged to confront the myth and deception which pervade the contemporary conception of democracy, and to accept the reality that the democratic emperor is naked. Democracy today is in truth fundamentally absurd: its premise is that an ideologically coherent, consistent, and efficient social policy program can be constructed by formulating each aspect of the overall program through a process of majoritarian amalgamation of contradictory, incongruent, and confrontational views. The Myth of American Democracy is an important rebuke of conventional democratic orthodoxy which will challenge readers to reevaluate their sympathies for the system. This book is recommended reading for everyone who has wrestled with the troubling suspicion that there is something inherently dubious and defective about the democratic system.

Delusional Democracy

Author: Joel S. Hirschhorn

Publisher:

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 294

ISBN-13:

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American democracy is crumbling, but if citizens take back their sovereign power it can be fixed.

What Is a Democracy?

Author: Robyn Hardyman

Publisher: The Rosen Publishing Group

Published: 2013-12-30

Total Pages: 50

ISBN-13: 1482403080

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If you live in the United States, you have a good idea of what a democracy is. However, there are many different kinds of democracy throughout the world. From the Roman republics to American democracy, this type of government has grown and changed for centuries. Readers find out about democracy, which countries use it to govern, and learn some positives and negatives about this type of government. Accessible, in the news and relevant subject matter help build a fundamental understanding of this concept. Sidebars, photographs, and captions clarify ideas within the narrative. The conclusion summary chapter reinforces understanding of democracy.

Ill Winds

Author: Larry Diamond

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2020-04-14

Total Pages: 386

ISBN-13: 0525560645

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*Shortlisted for the 2020 Arthur Ross Book Award* From America’s leading scholar of democracy, a personal, passionate call to action against the rising authoritarianism that challenges our world order—and the very value of liberty Larry Diamond has made it his life's work to secure democracy's future by understanding its past and by advising dissidents fighting autocracy around the world. Deeply attuned to the cycles of democratic expansion and decay that determine the fates of nations, he watched with mounting unease as illiberal rulers rose in Hungary, Poland, Turkey, the Philippines, and beyond, while China and Russia grew increasingly bold and bullying. Then, with Trump's election at home, the global retreat from freedom spread from democracy's margins to its heart. Ill Winds' core argument is stark: the defense and advancement of democratic ideals relies on U.S. global leadership. If we do not reclaim our traditional place as the keystone of democracy, today's authoritarian swell could become a tsunami, providing an opening for Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and their admirers to turn the twenty-first century into a dark time of despotism. We are at a hinge in history, between a new era of tyranny and an age of democratic renewal. Free governments can defend their values; free citizens can exercise their rights. We can make the internet safe for liberal democracy, exploit the soft, kleptocratic underbelly of dictatorships, and revive America's degraded democracy. Ill Winds offers concrete, deeply informed suggestions to fight polarization, reduce the influence of money in politics, and make every vote count. In 2020, freedom's last line of defense still remains "We the people."