Description
Book SynopsisSome groups participate in politics more than others. Why? And does it matter for policy outcomes? This book argues that democratic participation and public policy reinforce each other. It shows how highly participatory groups get their policy preferences fulfilled, and how public policy itself helps create political inequality.
Trade Review"This is a persuasively argued, well-researched, and nicely written work that makes a key contribution to our understanding of the politics of Social Security retirement insurance. Because of the singular importance of Social Security as a domestic federal program, ... Campbell's study fills a significant gap."--Gary Mucciaroni, Perspectives on Politics
Table of ContentsLIST OF FIGURES ix LIST OF TABLES xi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xv CHAPTER ONE Introduction: The Reciprocal Participation-Policy Relationship 1 CHAPTER TWO Overview: Rising Senior Participation and the Growth of the American Welfare State 14 CHAPTER THREE A Model of Senior Citizen Political Participation 38 CHAPTER FOUR Senior Citizen Participation and Policy over ime 65 CHAPTER FIVE Policy Threat and Seniors' Distinctive Political Voice 93 CHAPTER SIX Congressional Responsiveness 115 CHAPTER SEVEN The Reciprocal Participation-Policy Relationship across Programs 125 CHAPTER EIGHT Participation, Policymaking, and the Political Implications of Program Design 138 APPENDIX A Supplementary Tables 147 APPENDIX B Two-Stage Social Security Participation Model 161 APPENDIX C Senior/Nonsenior Mobilization Ratios by Party, 1956-96 165 APPENDIX D Multiple Interrupted Time-Series Analysis 166 NOTES 169 REFERENCES 205 INDEX 221
