Why Americans Still Don't Vote

A detailed Summary of Why Americans Still Don't Vote

Voter turnout in the United States is lower than in any other democratic country. This phenomenon of low turnout developed early in the twentieth century, but in the past three decades the turnout rate has continued to slide. In Why Americans Still Don't Vote, the authors Piven and Cloward argue about what political scholars have to offer in explanations for why Americans are not exercising their most important role in democratic rights, which is the right of voting. These explanations could be divided in three ways. Low turnout could be ascribed to the individual attitudes and beliefs. Secondly, low turnout could be the result of the many barriers that make voting harder. Finally the last explanation might be coming from the political strategies of the two major parties.

Individual attitudes and beliefs might be a good explanation concerning the nineteenth century, when people were less educated. But in today's society, the level of education is higher compared to the beginning of the century. This does not explain why the rate of non-voting is still low. If you compare

The third explanation that cause low turnout in the United States might be from the political strategies of the two major parties. The Democrats and the Republicans do not focus enough on the voter mobilization by raising the issues that would pull people to the polls. That seams that the political parties are uninterested in mobilizing voters, and they are happy the way it is. In the two last century the two parties succeed to get people to the polls. For example, the two parties aroused more registration and especially many more voters, when they focus in their campaigns on the issues of economic policy and the creation of the New Deal. But, since then the parties' effort to mobilize new voters collapsed.

turnouts in other democratic countries, where people are also young and less educated, the voter turnouts are still higher than America's rate. These theories do not hold up very well.

In their book, Piven and Cloward emphasize on the argument with political scientist. "They say their goal, particularly in Why Americans Don't Vote, was to highlight the inadequacies of three 'schools' of turnout stu

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Approximate Word count = 755
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Politics

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