This book examines whether the mechanisms of accountability characteristic of democratic systems are sufficient to induce the representatives to act in the best interest of the represented. The first part of the volume focuses on the role of elections, distinguishing different ways in which they may cause representation. The second part is devoted to the role of checks and balances, between the government and the parliament as well as between the government and the bureaucracy. The contributors of this volume, all leading scholars in the fields of American and comparative politics and political theory, address questions such as, whether elections induce governments to act in the interest of citizens. Are politicians in democracies accountable to voters in future elections? If so, does accountability induce politicians to represent citizens? Does accountability limit or enhance the scope of action of governments? Are governments that violate campaign mandates representative? Overall, the essays combine theoretical discussions, game-theoretic models, case studies, and statistical analyses, within a shared analytical approach and a standardized terminology. The empirical material is drawn from the well established democracies as well as from new democracies.
Author(s): Adam Przeworski, Susan C. Stokes
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Year: 2012
Language: English
Pages: 354
Tags: Politics and International Relations, Political Theory, American Government, Politics and Policy, Comparative Politics
Introduction......Page 7
Chapter one Elections and Representation......Page 33
Chapter two Electoral Accountability and the Control of Politicians: Selecting Good Types versus Sanctioning Poor Performance......Page 59
Chapter therr What Do Policy Switches Tell Us about Democracy......Page 102
Chapter four Accountability and Authority: Toward a Theory of Political Accountability......Page 135
Chapter five Accountability and Manipulation......Page 158
Chapter six Party Government and Responsiveness......Page 201
Chapter seven Democracy, Elections, and Accountability for Economic Outcomes......Page 226
Chapter eight Accountability in Athenian Politics......Page 256
Chapter eight Government Accountability in Parliamentary Democracy......Page 282
Chapter ten Mixing Elected and Nonelected Officials in Democratic Policy Making: Fundamentals of Accountability and Responsibility......Page 300
Chapter eleven Situating Democratic Political Accountability......Page 331
