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The golden democratic tradition   of an informed and involved electorate freely and rationally choosing its public   officials seems to be at odds with American political reality. Thus the questions:   On what basis do people vote and form opinions? How does the lack of information   at the individual level affect system performance? In this collection twenty-six   distinguished political scientists discuss, debate, and define the relationship   between information and the democracy it supposedly serves. The contributors   address both the empirical and normative aspects of governing in the United   States, employing psychological, sociological, and economic perspectives.