The Voice of the People: Public Opinion and Democracy

In this thoughtful and highly readable critique of contemporary politics and government in the United States, James Fishkin evaluates modern democratic practices, explains how the voice of the people has struggled to make itself heard in the past, and joins this with a review of ideas and experiments -- including Fishkin's idea for a National Issues Convention that was adapted by PBS in January 1996 -- to legitimately rediscover the people's voice."(The book) has impressive breadth, describing the influence of public opinion from Plato's cave to modern times". -- Richard L. Berke, New York Times Book Review

"Fishkin has greatly enlivened debate about public opinion and democracy.... He offers an engaging view of the virtues of direct democracy". -- Robert Y. Shapiro, American Political Science Review

"A book about a fundamental problem of American democracy. ... Anyone ... will find this slim, well-written volume an invaluable launching pad for further thinking and discussion". -- Doris A. Graber, Political Science Quarterly

"Fishkin's thesis is that governments have lost touch with the 'voice of the people, ' which has been submerged in a welter of polling, petitions and lobbying. (He wishes) to discover what people really believe -- or would believe if they had a proper technique called Deliberative Polling.... Empowerment or enlightenment? A bit of both, perhaps". -- Economist