The End of Authority: How a Loss of Legitimacy and Broken Trust are Endangering Our Future

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.

Table of Contents:
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

About the Author :
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).

Review :
In this magisterial work, Schoen, best known as a high-powered pollster and political analyst, presents a provocative and powerfully argued thesis that governments face a crisis of authority that undermines their ability to generate loyalty and support. So profound is this situation that 'we face a crisis that threatens the political and economic foundations of the global order,' he says. Schoen argues that 'the crisis of authority stems from the failure of institutions, especially of government but also of business to provide effective leadership.' The consequence, Schoen writes, is that 'the loss of trust is rendering us, in a collective sense, impotent and inactive in the face of enormous global challenges.' Schoen calls on readers to 'reform and improve international institutional leadership,' to 'strengthen nation-state governance,' and to 'direct specific reform and relief efforts ... in order to ensure that the benefits ... reach the people for whom they're intended.' This book is data rich, and the author never gets out ahead of the evidence. If Schoen's thesis is true, the global crisis of leadership is more of a threat than climate change or international conflicts. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. As a pollster, commentator, and political strategist, Doug Schoen has made a career of providing invaluable analysis of events and trends. In The End of Authority, Doug sounds the alarm on the rising public distrust of government globally, and offers his ideas for rebuilding confidence—not only in America, but around the world. The world has always been changing, but never so fast. What is the future of the market economy? Democracy? Liberal values? There are certainly more questions than there are answers, but Schoen gives us more than one could hope with competence, passion and inspiration. An intriguing, timely, stimulating – and helpful – look at the startling breakdown of trust in government, as it becomes more and more authoritarian. Democrat Doug Schoen has impressed this Republican with his heartfelt desire to break the bounds of partisan politics and stop this corrosive rot eating at our body politique. Over the years, many in Canada have been impressed with the very high quality of Doug Schoen’s research and the incisive nature of his conclusions and commentary. I have followed his work closely and know that this book will further enhance his strong reputation for leadership in the fields of political analysis and public policy in America and elsewhere in the world.