In this text, Anthony Gierzynski theorizes that, under the current system of financing elections, the political process has tilted too far in favor of political freedom, at the expense of political equality.
List of Illustrations; Acknowledgments; 1. Introduction; The 1996 Election: A System in Crisis; The Context; The Basic Conflict; The Problem with the Current System of Campaign Finance; Plan of the Book; 2. Understanding Campaign-Finance Behavior; The Settings; Money and Power; Conclusion; 3. Elections, Campaign-Finance Law, and Public Opinion; Money in Elections; Political Parties Today; The Status of Campaign-Finance Laws Today; A Brief History of Campaign-Finance Regulation; Public Opinion on Campaign Finance; Summary; 4. Money in Elections; Money and Election Returns; The Distribution of Money; Conclusion; 5. Contributors; The Relationship Between Contributors and Lawmakers; Who Gives?; Conclusion; 6. Conclusion; Campaign-Finance Reform; Appendix A; Glossary; Bibliography; Index