The End of Authority

Around the world, citizens have lost faith in their political and economic institutions-leading to unprecedented levels of political instability and economic volatility. From Moscow to Brussels, from Washington to Cairo, the failure of democracies and autocracies to manage the fiscal and political crises facing us has led to a profound disquiet, spawning protest movements of the left, right, and center. In The End of Authority, Douglas E. Schoen systematically analyzes the leadership crises facing democracies and autocratic governments alike. He presents a firsthand, detailed assessment for why this collapse in trust happened; and offers a comprehensive blueprint for how we can restore public trust in government and economic institutions in a world of division, dissension, and governments clearly lacking in responsiveness to citizen concerns. Schoen outlines bold and clear solutions and offers practical steps to fix our democracy and rebuild international institutions.

Douglas E. Schoen is a prominent American political analyst, pollster, author, and commentator.
His many books include Hopelessly Divided: The New Crisis of American Politics and What it Means for 2012 and Beyond (Rowman & Littlefield).

Introduction: The Crisis of Authority
Chapter 1: Why the Crisis of Authority Matters
Chapter 2: Documenting and Understanding the Loss of Trust
Chapter 3: How Trust Works in Democracies and Autocracies
Chapter 4: Broken Trust in Democracies and Autocracies
Chapter 5: Income Inequality and the Crisis of Capitalism
Chapter 6: Income Inequality: What's Causing It, Why it Matters, and What to Do
Chapter 7: Political Corruption and Crony Capitalism
Chapter 8: The Rise of Anti-Systemic Politics: Europe and the United States
Chapter 9: The Rise of Anti-Systemic Politics: Russia, India, The Middle East, and Africa
Chapter 10: Technology: Builder and Betrayer of Trust
Chapter 11: The Need for Bold Solutions
Conclusion: No Time to Lose