Polarized Populism: Masses, Elites, and Partisan Conflict
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Paul J Quirk
Scholars offer differing accounts of the roles played by political elites, on the one hand, and ordinary citizens, on the other, in the highly polarized partisan conflict of contemporary American politics. Some take polarized elite conflict to indicate, in itself, that elected policymakers have escaped the constraints of democratic control and act essentially independently. In sharp contrast to this view, I outline a case for the importance of what I call polarized populism—a condition of politics in which elected officials accord very substantial deference to ordinary citizens, especially those who hold relatively extreme ideological views. I clarify the differences between elite centered and populist accounts of polarized policymaking, and then develop the argument for polarized populism, presenting theoretical considerations in support and assessing several kinds of relevant evidence. I also reply to some claims by Lawrence Jacobs and Robert Shapiro, proponents of the elite-centered view, in an earlier exchange in the Forum. In concluding, I comment briefly about some directions for research to assess the case for polarized populism and discuss some broader implications of this pattern of policymaking.
©2011 Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin/Boston
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- The Media Game: New Moves, Old Strategies
- How Political Science Can Help Journalism (and Still Let Journalists Be Journalists)
- Challenges to Mainstream Journalism in Baseball and Politics
- Promoting Policy in a Mediated Democracy: Congress and the News
- Polarized Populism: Masses, Elites, and Partisan Conflict
- Advancing a Social Policy Agenda through Economic Policy: Obama's Stimulus and Education Reform
- The Economic Records of the Presidents: Party Differences and Inherited Economic Conditions
- Review
- The Inter-Personal Presidency of Chief Executive George W. Bush: Review of Decision Points
- Review of A Journey: My Political Life by Tony Blair
- Review of Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge's View
Articles in the same Issue
- Article
- The Media Game: New Moves, Old Strategies
- How Political Science Can Help Journalism (and Still Let Journalists Be Journalists)
- Challenges to Mainstream Journalism in Baseball and Politics
- Promoting Policy in a Mediated Democracy: Congress and the News
- Polarized Populism: Masses, Elites, and Partisan Conflict
- Advancing a Social Policy Agenda through Economic Policy: Obama's Stimulus and Education Reform
- The Economic Records of the Presidents: Party Differences and Inherited Economic Conditions
- Review
- The Inter-Personal Presidency of Chief Executive George W. Bush: Review of Decision Points
- Review of A Journey: My Political Life by Tony Blair
- Review of Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge's View
