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9780226850177

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Reviews

“This pathbreaking book should be of interest to anyone who cares about our campaign finance system—scholars, students, policymakers, and the broader public. Although policy proposals often center on small donors, we know little about them empirically. Albert and La Raja amass impressive evidence about them and the congressional members who rely on this group. The book not only dispels important myths but also leaves the reader with a stronger understanding of US democracy today.” -- Brandice Canes-Wrone | Stanford University “The rise of ‘small donor democracy’ has been romanticized by many political reformers. But in this definitive study, Albert and La Raja reveal the complex reality of small donors. Small donors contribute to hyper-polarization, extremism, and the nationalization of elections. Small donors are far more ideological and hyper-partisan than the average voter or citizen. They disproportionately fuel ideologically extreme candidates and contribute to the toxic, tribalistic nature of our politics. Nor are small donors representative: they are wealthier, whiter, older, and more highly educated than citizens more generally. Small donors might somewhat reduce the bias of elections toward the extremely wealthy, but they amplify the extremist forces in our politics. Any reform proposals must now contend with Albert and La Raja’s essential work.” -- Rick Pildes | NYU School of Law

Author Information

Zachary Albert is assistant professor of politics at Brandeis University. He is the author of Partisan Policy Networks: How Research Organizations Became Party Allies and Political Advocates. Raymond J. La Raja is professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, as well as cofounder and codirector of the UMass Amherst Poll. He is the coauthor of Hometown Inequality: Race, Class, and Representation in American Local Politics.

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