The Democratic Disconnect and Political Reform

May 30, 2013
posted by Bob Bauer
The Democratic Disconnect: this is title of a report produced for the Transatlantic Academy by scholars who describe a critical breach in the relationship of citizen to government. Seyla Benhabib et al, The Democratic Disconnect (May 2013), http://www.gmfus.org/archives/the-democratic-disconnect-citizenship-and-accountability-in-the-transatlantic-community. They argue that around the world, the US included, "democracy is in trouble" as governments fail to answer to their citizens who respond with a deepening lack of trust and withdrawal from traditional channels of political engagement. Id. at 3. The urgent need is for "fairer and fuller citizen participation," a revival of civic engagement from the "bottom-up." Id. at 5, 118.