Abundance and American democracy: a test of dire predictions

The American political system was severely tested in the 1970s and it is not yet obvious that the system's response to those tests was adequate. Some scholars have argued that the confusion we witnessed in energy, environmental and economic policies was symptomatic of even worse situations to come. Their consensus is that our style of democratic politics is incapable of dealing with the problems we increasingly face. Consequently, they predict that democracy's days are numbered. Furthermore, many Americans sense that the "joy ride" may be over, and that our economy may be hard pressed to maintain standards, much less continue its historic growth. One poll showed a 34 percent increase, since 1977, in respondents who believe, "The United States is in deep and serious trouble," and a well known economist, employing the terminology of game theory, has suggested that ours has become a "Zero-Sum society.