The Revolt of The Public and the Crisis of Authority in the New Millennium

In the words of economist and scholar Arnold Kling, "Martin Gurri saw it coming." Technology has categorically reversed the information balance of power between the public and the elites who manage the great hierarchical institutions of the industrial age--government, political parties, the media. The Revolt of the Public tells the story of how insurgencies, enabled by digital devices and a vast information sphere, have mobilized millions of ordinary people around the world. Originally published in 2014, this updated edition of The Revolt of the Public includes an extensive analysis of Donald Trump's improbable rise to the presidency and the electoral triumphs of "Brexit" and concludes with a speculative look forward, pondering whether the current elite class can bring about a reformation of the democratic process, and whether new organizing principles, adapted to a digital world, can arise out of the present political turbulence. -- publisher's website

21st century · Authority · Democracy · Elite (Social sciences) · Internet · Legitimacy of governments · Long Now Manual for Civilization · Nihilism · Online social networks · Political aspects · Political obligation · Political participation · Protest movements · Public interest · Social aspects · Social media · Social movements · Technological innovations · World politics