TY - BOOK ID - 79044049 TI - Poverty, participation, and democracy : a global perspective PY - 2008 SN - 9780521504454 9780521729604 9780511756160 9780511415340 0511415346 0511413068 9780511413063 0521504457 0521729602 051175616X 110717273X 1281751324 9786611751326 0511414668 0511412126 051141398X PB - New York : Cambridge University Press, DB - UniCat KW - Political sociology KW - Political systems KW - Developing countries: economic development problems KW - Poor KW - Political participation. KW - Democracy. KW - Self-government KW - Political science KW - Equality KW - Representative government and representation KW - Republics KW - Citizen participation KW - Community action KW - Community involvement KW - Community participation KW - Involvement, Community KW - Mass political behavior KW - Participation, Citizen KW - Participation, Community KW - Participation, Political KW - Political activity KW - Political behavior KW - Political rights KW - Social participation KW - Political activists KW - Politics, Practical KW - Disadvantaged, Economically KW - Economically disadvantaged KW - Impoverished people KW - Low-income people KW - Pauperism KW - Poor, The KW - Poor people KW - Persons KW - Social classes KW - Poverty KW - Research KW - Political activity. KW - Attitudes. KW - Economic conditions KW - Social Sciences KW - Political Science UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:79044049 AB - For too long a conventional wisdom has held sway, suggesting that poor people in poor countries are not supportive of democracy and that democracies will be sustained only after a certain average level of wealth has been achieved. Evidence from 24 diverse countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America examined in this volume shows how poor people do not value democracy any less than their richer counterparts. Their faith in democracy is as high as that of other citizens, and they participate in democratic activities as much as their richer counterparts. Democracy is not likely to be unstable or unwelcome simply because poverty is widespread. Political attitudes and participation levels are unaffected by relative wealth. Education, rather than income or wealth, makes for more committed and engaged democratic citizens. Investments in education will make a critical difference for stabilizing and strengthening democracy. ER -