Degrees of Democracy

This book develops and tests a 'thermostatic' model of public opinion and policy and examines both responsiveness and representation across a range of policy domains in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, concluding that representative democratic government functions surprisingly well.

Preface; 1. Public opinion and policy in representative democracy; 2. The thermostatic model; 3. Adding issues and institutions; 4. Public preferences and spending - a preliminary analysis; 5. Parameters of public responsiveness; 6. Public responsiveness explored; 7. Policy representation; 8. Homogeneity and heterogeneity in public and policy responsiveness; 9. Responsiveness and representation.