The conclusions in this book challenge most traditional and conventional American political scientific thinking on the value and practicality of direct citizen participation in agenda setting, planning, and policy making. It does this not only by applying a new physically-based paradigm of political theory to the problem, but also by offering a wealth of original, empirical evidence to support its conclusion.



Basing her arguments on research in a new method of public-opinion/citizen-participation experiments, Slaton's book: (1) provides a new theoretical and practical response to those opposed to increasing direct democracy in the United States; (2) introduces a new method by which to promote and measure informed and deliberated public opinion; (3) proposes a new methodology that stimulates citizen participation toward and involvement in complex policy issues; and (4) applies analogies to the paradigms of quantum physics to new theories and techniques designed to promote citizen participation in a democracy.