Tyranny of the Minority

Why do politicians frequently heed the preferences of small groups of citizens over those of the general public? Breaking new theoretical ground, Benjamin Bishin explains how the desires of small groups, which he calls subconstituencies, often trump the preferences of much larger groups. Tyranny of the Minority provides a unified theory of representation, based in social psychology and supported by extensive analyses of legislators voting behavior, that explains how citizens knowledge and participation affects candidates behaviour in campaigns and legislators behaviour in Congress. Demonstrating the wide applicability of the theory, the book traces politicians behavior on a wide range of issues, including the Cuban trade embargo, the extension of hate crimes legislation to protect gays and lesbians, the renewal of the assault weapons ban, abortion politics, and Congresss battle to recognize the Armenian genocide. It offers a unique explanation of why and how special interests dominate American national politics.