"Robert Putnam and his associates have attacked head-on a question that disturbs many of us—the sense that trust long established in democratic governments seems to be eroding right at the time that the ideology of a democratic market system has swept the world. The authors make it evident that the answers aren't uniform among countries or easy. But their work ... Read morealso goes a long way toward putting the evidence, disturbing as it is, in broad perspective, a perspective essential for those who are working toward necessary reforms and new approaches."—Paul A. Volcker, North American Chairman, Trilateral Commission "Susan Pharr and Robert Putnam have done a superb job not only of tracing the decline in public confidence in government performance in the established democracies over the past quarter-century but also of exploring how this disturbing trend can be explained. This book is certain to be widely discussed by scholars and policy makers concerned with the future of democratic government."—Marc F. Plattner, Director, International Forum for Democratic Studies "Disaffected Democracies provides a thoughtful and wise analysis of the present state of democracy in the Trilateral countries. . . . [It] will be indispensable reading, both for active politicians and others in public life, and for students of international relations and political science."—Shirley Williams, British House of Lords "Anyone who wants to understand the state of the art on this matter should, and I hope will, read this book. There is simply no other work like it."—Robert A. Dahl, Yale University Show Less