Bankrupting Democracy

Nathan Katz is assistant professor of sociology at Louisiana Tech University.

"In Bankrupting Democracy, Nathan Katz skillfully combines a sophisticated analysis of debates over campaign finance laws and a nuanced approach to political communication with a comprehensive sociological account of the “campaign finance community”—the set of organizations and funders behind most political advertising in the US. The book takes seriously the motivations and choices of the wealthy people who fund Democratic and Republican campaigns and should interest anyone concerned with the state of US democracy."—Daniel Laurison, author of Producing Politics: Inside the Exclusive Campaign World Where the Privileged Few Shape Politics for All of Us"Explaining the role of money in US politics has traditionally been regulated to political scientists and lawyers. Bankrupting Democracy approaches the subject from a sociological perspective, offering unique insights into how some major US Supreme Court opinions on campaign finance have altered the trajectory of American politics and who has a voice in its campaigns and elections. Nathan Katz’s voice adds clarity to an important topic."—David Schultz, coeditor of Generational Politics in the United States: From the Silents to Gen Z and Beyond"In Bankrupting Democracy, Katz takes us inside the social world of political advertising. Using an impressive array of historical records, election disclosures, and advertising datasets, Katz traces how politicians, political consultants, wealthy elites, and corporations pushed the myth of the ‘marketplace of ideas’ to justify the massive influx of money in politics we see today. This book is important reading for anyone seeking to understand how those with money, power, and access have distorted democracy to influence public opinion, elections, and policymaking in the current moment."—Wendy Y. Li, author of the article “‘Unicorns and Hacks’: Revolving-Door Lobbyists and the Cultivation of Political Credibility""All Americans need to understand how money in politics works better. Nathan Katz’s Bankrupting Democracy shines a spotlight on this key issue of campaign finance for readers."—Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, professor at Stetson College of Law, and author of Corporate Citizen? An Argument for the Separation of Corporation and State"At a time when campaign finance is on everyone’s mind, Katz provides a prime example of the tools sociology offers for analyzing electoral politics. Through bringing the state back in as a key player and centering the social relations of power, this work makes a significant contribution to debates about whether campaign finance is a social problem and sheds light on democracy’s possibilities."—Emily L. Tingle, author of article "‘What was my Catalyst?’ Narratives and Biographical Connectivity in Public Education Activism"