Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government (Princeton Studies in Political Behavior) by Christopher H. Achen, Larry M. Bartels

Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government, authored by Christopher H. Achen and published as part of the Princeton Studies in Political Behavior series, is an analysis of voting behavior and its impact on the quality of democracy in the United States. Achen focuses on the reality of elections - rather than the ideal of democracy - and argues that despite the fact that citizens exercise political judgment when selecting their representatives, democracy has not become more responsive or effective in the long run. Achen also examines the political forces which act to marginalize citizens from the political process and lead to a further decline in effectiveness of the democratic system.

Rather than rely on the widely accepted idea that elections are inherently "good", Achen takes a more grounded approach and examines the data from past elections. From the data, he finds that citizens' voting behavior has not changed over the past decades. Citizens are still voting for their favorite candidate regardless of who wins the election. Even when the favored candidate fails to win, citizens continue to vote for the same party. This indicates that elections themselves often fail to create a responsive, responsive government since there is an entrenched two-party system and citizens vote along party lines regardless of whether it produces the desired effect.

Achen also discusses how the current party system in the United States minimizes citizens' representation and further minimizes the chance of creating a responsive government. He takes a particularly critical look at the role of special interest groups, which have concentrated power within their own organizations and are able to exert a disproportionate influence on the outcome of elections. Even when citizens are represented by these special interest groups, they are rarely held accountable nor do they have the power to influence their representatives on any meaningful issues.

Moreover, Achen explores how the nature of our political system leaves citizens vulnerable to manipulation. He finds that those who are in control of the political agenda are able to craft messages to an audience to alter their decisions. This allows them to sway the course of elections and entrench themselves in power without having to face any real accountability. Achen argues that these dynamics reduce democracy to an imperfect contest between powerful individuals with limited representation of citizen preference.

As Achen delves further into the political system, he holds up a mirror to the ideals of democracy and finds that it is a system that is stacked in favor of the powerful. He argues that rather than creating a responsive government, elections have become a platform for certain individuals to remain in power and perpetuate existing systems instead of creating actual change. Election results reflect the status quo rather than citizens' preferences, a fact that further erodes the responsiveness and accountability of our democracy.

In conclusion, Democracy for Realists is a thorough and time-tested analysis of voting behavior and its effect on the quality of democracy. Achen takes an honest look at the state of democracy in the United States and finds that it’s far from ideal. He illustrates how elections fail to produce meaningful change, how citizens are shut out of the political system, and how our current political system perpetuates existing systems instead of providing a meaningful outlet for citizens to express their preferences. Achen's analysis provides a grim prognosis for our political system but is ultimately a wakeup call to citizens to reflect upon the reality of our democracy and seek out ways to improve it.