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In an era when special interests funnel huge amounts of money into our government—driven by shifts in campaign-finance rules and brought to new levels by the Supreme Court in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission—trust in our government has reached an all-time low. More than ever before, Americans believe that money buys results in Congress, and that business interests wield control over our legislature. With heartfelt urgency and a keen desire for righting wrongs, Harvard law professor Lawrence Lessig takes a clear-eyed look at how we arrived at this crisis: how fundamentally good people, with good intentions, have allowed our democracy to be co-opted by outside interests, and how this exploitation has become entrenched in the system. Rejecting simple labels and reductive logic—and instead using examples that resonate as powerfully on the Right as on the Left—Lessig seeks out the root causes of our situation. He plumbs the issues of campaign financing and corporate lobbying, revealing the human faces and follies that have allowed corruption to take such a foothold in our system. He puts the issues in terms that nonwonks can understand, using real-world analogies and real human stories. And ultimately he calls for widespread mobilization and a new Constitutional Convention, presenting achievable solutions for regaining control of our corrupted—but redeemable—representational system. In this way, Lessig plots a roadmap for returning our republic to its intended greatness. While America may be divided, Lessig vividly champions the idea that we can succeed if we accept that corruption is our common enemy and that we must find a way to fight against it. In REPUBLIC, LOST, he not only makes this need palpable and clear—he gives us the practical and intellectual tools to do something about it.
The book investigates the systemic corruption of American democracy by special interests and the influence of money in politics. Harvard law professor Lawrence Lessig examines how, despite good intentions, fundamental flaws in campaign finance rules and court decisions like Citizens United have led to a crisis of trust. He analyzes the root causes of this co-option by outside interests, focusing on campaign financing and corporate lobbying, and explains these complex issues in accessible terms. Lessig ultimately advocates for widespread mobilization and a new Constitutional Convention to reclaim the representational system.
The book is presented with heartfelt urgency, aiming to right wrongs by offering a clear-eyed look at the crisis of democracy co-opted by outside interests. Lessig's approach is noted for rejecting simple labels and reductive logic, instead using examples that resonate across the political spectrum. The author's intention is to make complex issues understandable to non-experts through relatable analogies and human stories. The work culminates in a call for widespread mobilization and a new Constitutional Convention, providing practical and intellectual tools for reform.
Page Count:
0
Publication Date:
2017-01-01
ISBN-10:
6059556418
ISBN-13:
9786059556415
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