Stephen E. Frantzich. Citizen Democracy. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefeld Publishers, 1999. vii + 235 pp. $22.95, paper, ISBN 978-0-8476-9151-7.

Reviewed by Robert W. Kweit

Published on H-Pol (May, 2000)

Americans are cynical about our government. People are more likely to try to make a difer‐ Over two-thirds of the public do not believe the ence if their self interest is involved, i.e., they are government is responsive to their desires, with more likely to get involved for selective rather young Americans being even more alienated (p. than collective benefts. Many then discover that 2). Professor Stephen E. Frantzich uses this text to their gains carry collective benefts (p. 4). There demonstrate that government can indeed be are some, though for whom altruism is a motivat‐ made to respond to the people. In his work he ing factor. Regardless, there are some requisites presents nineteen vignettes of activists and their for achieving one's goals through political ac‐ causes. Most are unlikely heroes, who reacted out tivism. Frantzich explains that, "Successful ac‐ of grief, compassion, political ideology, or a sense tivists worked smart as well as hard, recognizing of justice. the nuances of the various decision-making are‐ Clearly, our democracy is threatened to the nas. They began with a healthy skepticism, recog‐ extent that people feel disconnected from each nizing that success is , but were empow‐ other and from the civic community. Robert Put‐ ered by knowing enough to target the right deci‐ nam made big waves by sounding this theme in a sion makers. They framed the issues in human popularization of his academic work on civic terms and pursued their goals with creativity and community in Italy and in several articles, such persistence" (p. 4) [italics in original]. as, "Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Frantzich uses a game metaphor and exam‐ Capital."[1] Frantzich's book was designed to help ines the players, their strategies, the system's reduce the level of cynicism in his students at the rules, and the winners and losers. He interviewed U.S. Naval Academy (and elsewhere) by present‐ his protagonists, and the book aptly portrays the ing stories of people who made a diference, and passion of individuals fghting for their causes. examining how they did so. The work is improved by having not only heroes but also anti-heroes. Heroes include Lois Gibbs, a H-Net Reviews simple housewife who rescued her neighborhood ed to write to parents who had also lost their chil‐ and provided the impetus for the Superfund, and dren to drunk drivers. She established a signif‐ Rosa Parks, a black department store seamstress, cant mailing list, then hounded California Gover‐ who started the Montgomery bus boycott and the nor Jerry Brown until he appointed a task force, beginning of the end of legal segregation (with the whose recommendations resulted in increased help of a young preacher, the Reverend Mike punishment for drunk drivers. When President King, who later became Martin Luther King). Anti- Reagan signed a bill reducing highway funding to heroes include Gregory Lee (Joey) Johnson, a states with drinking ages less than twenty-one, young man with great hatred toward the United Candy Lightner was invited to the signing cere‐ States, who burned the fag. His actions helped to money. show that even unpopular participation is tolerat‐ Frantzich not only portrays the political strug‐ ed and that there is strong institutional support gles but also the humanness of his protagonists. for free speech. The book also talks about Dr. Jack Ms. Lightner's crusade caused her other children Kavorkian or "Dr. Death" who is presented as a to be unhappy. She was asked to leave as leader of very unlikeable person but one who was also a MADD when the organization's board of directors leader in the "death with dignity" movement. became unhappy with her salary demands and Though he currently is in jail for pushing the en‐ the fact that there was too much money spent on velope too far, his role in placing and keeping the fund raising rather than programming. In a fnal idea of euthanasia on the public agenda has re‐ irony, Candy Lightner became a lobbyist for the sulted in Oregon legalizing assisted suicide. American Beverage Institute to argue against low‐ Each of the vignettes draws lessons for read‐ ering the legal blood alcohol content too greatly, ers. For example, Frantzich portrays the battles of which she would describe as stopping social Candy Lightner, founder of Mothers Against drinking without cracking down on the real prob‐ Drunk Driving (MADD). Ms. Lightner learned that lem of drunk drivers. Frantzich notes in this case, the drunk driver that had killed her daughter had and in others, how hard it is to determine if the four prior arrests, one only two days before the movement or other factors led to positive results, tragic accident that took her daughter's life. She but does note that the number of people killed by learned further that the drunk driver in question drunk drivers has declined. He draws three was unlikely to do jail time even though his illegal lessons. The frst is that misery seeks company but behavior had resulted in a death. As was the case needs a little help. By uniting the relatives of vic‐ for the Kankas, whose daughter was raped and tims of drunk drivers Lightner had a large con‐ killed by a neighbor (a convicted sex ofender), stituency that evoked sympathy. Second, she whose action in response to this crime led to chose the right target. She did not threaten the Megan's Laws in several states requiring notifca‐ liquor industry, which has a large fnancial stake tion, and the Clearys, whose daughter was killed in public policy, but instead targeted irresponsible on a college campus plagued with lax security by individuals. Finally, Frantzich notes that activists a fellow student with a criminal record (which led are human, and as such, are subject to foibles and them to champion the Student Right to Know and inconsistencies, that, nevertheless, can be over‐ Campus Security Act), tragedy became a motiva‐ come. tor and a means of coping with grief. Candy Light‐ A trove of fascinating cases can be found in ner was a women who was "neither registered to this work. Persons of virtually all political persua‐ vote nor able to distinguish between Democrat sions are presented and their tactics charted. from Republican" (p. 71). With little knowledge Frantzich concludes with a fnal list of lessons or but wonderful intuitive skills, Ms. Lightner start‐

2 H-Net Reviews conclusions drawn from all the various cases. ing and enlightening. It stares down apathy and From the perspective of the players, he notes that, cynicism and proves that anyone has the potential "citizen activists are made, not born," and "politi‐ to have a major impact on public policy. It does cal participation may or may not become habit not glamorize the process; it indicates that victory forming" since some actors continue with their is not always at hand and that sometimes victo‐ cause while others return to their normal lives (p. ries may be short-lived. Nonetheless, many ordi‐ 198). Under strategies, he notes, among others, nary people have made a diference. This book that "organization trumps random acts" and would be very useful in courses on political par‐ "clearly presented data usually trump data that ticipation or public policy making. are difcult to understand and interpret" (pp. Notes 198-99). In discussing winners and losers, [1]. Robert D. Putnam, et al., Making Democ‐ Frantzich ofers many conclusions, including that racy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy you "can't win if you don't play," "media attention (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1992), is more important than media approval," and and Robert D. Putnam, "Bowling Alone: America's "successful policy activists often pay a personal Declining Social Capital," Journal of Democracy, price and may not reap the benefts of the change January 1995, pp.64-78. they initiate" (pp. 200-01). [2]. John W. Kingdon, Agendas, Alternatives, The book is well and cleverly written. One ex‐ and Public Policies, 2d ed. (New York: Harper‐ ample refers to Rosa Parks who "stood (or per‐ Collins, 1995). haps more accurately sat) her ground" (p. 34). From an academic perspective the book could be [3]. Roger W. Cobb and Charles D. Elder, Par‐ improved by discussing the criteria for inclusion ticipation in American Politics: The Dynamics of or exclusion for the citizen activists. The people Agenda Building (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Uni‐ chosen highlight a number of issues and a num‐ versity Press, 1983). ber of diferent strategies. In addition, each case is [4]. E. E. Schattshneider, The Semi-Sovereign listed under various topics, e.g., public opinion, or People: A Realist's View of Democracy in America direct democracy. A paragraph or two tying the (Hindale, IL: Dryden Press, 1960). case to the phenomenon to which it was related Copyright (c) 2000 by H-Net, all rights re‐ along with some context would be useful to stu‐ served. This work may be copied for non-proft dents. Finally, the work could have been academi‐ educational use if proper credit is given to the au‐ cally enhanced by providing a discussion, at the thor and the list. For other permission, please con‐ beginning or end, of the works of political scien‐ tact [email protected]. tists whose theories these citizens were inadver‐ tently confrming. For example, Kingdon, in his book on agenda setting, points to the importance of indicators to make one's case;[2] while Cobb and Elder note the importance of symbols and emotion in expanding the issue.[3] And E. E. Schattschneider, mentioned once, sets the theoret‐ ical framework for defning and redefning issues. [4] These are merely minor quibbles with what might have been. The work as it stands is interest‐

3 H-Net Reviews

If there is additional discussion of this review, you may access it through the network, at https://networks.h-net.org/h-pol

Citation: Robert W. Kweit. Review of Frantzich, Stephen E. Citizen Democracy. H-Pol, H-Net Reviews. May, 2000.

URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=4125

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

4