Critique of Madison's Republic

Modern Social Science has developed two premises about human behavior which, do not invalidate Madison but, limit the theory's utility.

I. Concept 1— Opportunity Costs: Participation
    A. Cost of participation: political participation is any effort to influence shared outcomes.
        1. What Madison missed is that participation is costly—
            a. what one gives up to accomplish something else.
    B. The rate of participation is inversely related to the cost of participation.
        1. The rate of participation can be manipulated by:
            a. Policy:
                (1) national holiday
                (2) registration changes
                (3) literacy tests} negative
                (4) poll tax} negative
                (5) The rate of participation is not interesting if people are represented!
    C. Resource Bias
        1. Not appropriate at the individual level of analysis.
            a. examples of the Resource Bias:
                (1) wealth
                    (a) education
                    (b) status
                    (c) time 
                        i) the elderly
            b. A high resource bias leads to higher participation
                (1) The problem of resource bias is that it skews the electorate thus making the rich, e.g., a majority faction.
                    (a) It is in the Self-Interest of politicians to ignore non-voters and emphasize those who help their campaigns.
            c. Resource bias increases influence.
                (1) The degree of bias increases with the sort of participation, e.g., workers do not run for office, the rich do.
                (2) However, ultimately politicians must be elected so the resource bias is not an absolute.

II. Concept 2— Paradox of Collective Action:
    A. The rational individual will not pay for collective goods.
        1. Thus, no one should vote!
        2. The outcome of collective action is not dependent on the individual.
            a. The benefit is indivisible, thus it is irrational to pay costs because we receive the benefit.
                (1) E.g., PBS
    B. Collective good: available to everyone in the collectivity irrespective of their payment; 
        1. also, the imperceptibility of individual effects.
        2. The cost has no relation to the benefit. 
    C. Private goods: are divisible and excludable
        1. There is a direct relationship between costs and benefits.
                a. Government is a public good.
                b. why pay the cost of participation if one gets the benefit without paying the cost?
    D. Why then do people vote? 
        1. Duty, obligation, symbolism....
                a. Free riders cause lower turnout.
            b. The symbolic causes of voting are declining.
                    (1) Therefore, there may be a crisis of legitimation, alienation from government.
        2. Implications:
            a. Because of increased information costs and rational ignorance;
            b. voters don't and won't care.
            c. Is democracy possible? Are we, in fact, represented?

See Walt Stone, "Republic at Risk" Brooks-Cole