Accelerating Democracy

Successful democracies throughout history--from ancient Athens to Britain on the cusp of the industrial age--have used the technology of their time to gather information for better governance. Our challenge is no different today, but it is more urgent because the accelerating pace of technological change creates potentially enormous dangers as well

"[McGinnis] shines an important light on a discussion that will only grow more lively as technology creates at once more opportunities and more challenges for government."--Foreign Affairs "You can support or dismiss his proposals, but you cannot deny that the author makes a major effort to bring forth ingenious measures to really 'accelerate democracy'. Thus, this provocative book is worth reading for everybody interested in improving policymaking, or all those willing to explore new ways to help citizens through a more efficient use of technology."--Ana Polo Alonso, LSE Review of Books "[T]he book is valuable for the stance it takes on the very pressing question of how democracies should adapt to the information revolution. The take-home message for young democracies, no doubt appealing also to many readers of this journal, is that the social sciences deserve as much support as the natural sciences. The more accurately the outcomes of government policies can be predicted, the better the information revolution can be harnessed, and the fewer public funds will be wasted on unrealistic policies. If McGinnis is right, then the heyday of the social sciences lies right before us."--Christian Gobel, Democratization "The book is a valuable reference for any student of the gradually intertwining fields of democracy and technology since it is a well-written analysis arguing that democratic government is in need of evolution due to rapid technological changes... Its engaging and enquiring style provokes thought on the future of a number of domains, including technology and political regimes."--Nelli Bahayan, Political Studies Review

John O. McGinnis is the George C. Dix Professor of Constitutional Law at Northwestern University.