A Democracy That Works: How Working-Class Power Defines Liberal Democracy in the United States

The conservative ascendancy is due to the reconstruction of work rules that disempowered workers, argues Stephen Amberg in his book A Democracy That Works. He uses situated institutional analysis to show how real actors created rules that empowered liberal democracy for 50 years, and how Democrats and Republicans undermined it by changing those rules.

Format: Hardback
Length: 370 pages
Publication date: 25 November 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The conservative ascendancy, according to A Democracy That Works, is not the result of corporate donations, Republican gerrymandering, or media manipulation, but rather the result of the reconstruction of the rules that govern work, which has disempowered workers. To demonstrate this, Stephen Amberg employs situated institutional analysis, using six historical case studies from the emergence of the New Deal to the present-day intersectional social justice movements. These case studies span from the early 20th century to the present day, providing a comprehensive examination of the evolution of liberal democracy in the United States.

Amberg's analysis reveals how real actors, including politicians, business leaders, and labor organizers, created the rules that empowered liberal democracy for 50 years. These rules included the establishment of labor unions, the implementation of social welfare programs, and the protection of workers' rights. However, Democrats and Republicans undermined democracy by changing these rules, organizing working-class people out of American politics.

One of the key arguments in the book is that when employees are organized to participate at work, they are also organized to participate in politics to press for accountable government. Amberg draws on multidisciplinary studies to support this claim, highlighting the connections between workplace organization and political participation. He argues that when workers have a voice in their workplaces, they are more likely to demand accountability from their elected representatives and to engage in political activism to support their interests.

The book opens up analytical space to understand the unprecedented threat to liberal democracy in the United States. It challenges the notion that democracy is solely a matter of elections and political parties and emphasizes the importance of workers' participation in the polity. By examining the historical choices that shaped America's liberal democracy, A Democracy That Works provides valuable insights into the challenges facing contemporary democracy and offers potential solutions for rebuilding a more inclusive and democratic society.

In conclusion, A Democracy That Works is a thought-provoking and important book that offers a fresh perspective on the crisis of democracy in the United States. By examining the historical choices that shaped America's liberal democracy, Amberg provides valuable insights into the challenges facing contemporary democracy and offers potential solutions for rebuilding a more inclusive and democratic society. This book will appeal to scholars of American politics and American political development, labor and social movements, democracy and comparative politics, and anyone interested in understanding the complex dynamics of contemporary politics.

Weight: 686g
Dimension: 158 x 236 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032332048