The world has witnessed the creation of new democracies and the maturing of old ones. Yet, everywhere there is democracy, there is also political inequality. Voices of everyday folk struggle to be heard; often, they keep silent. Governments respond mostly to the influential and the already privileged. Our age of democracy, then, is the old age of inequality. This book builds on U.S. scholarship on the topic of political inequality to understand its forms, causes and consequences around the world. Comprised of nine theoretical, methodological and empirical chapters, this path-creating edited collection contains original works by both established and young, up-and-coming social scientists, including those from Latin America, Eastern Europe, Greece and the U.S. Political Inequality in an Age of Democracy addresses the present and future of the concept of political inequality from multi-disciplinary and cross-national perspectives.

Uncover the surprising story of Poland's post-communist transformation. Using unique longitudinal data from the Polish Panel Survey spanning 30 years, the authors examine the country's transformation from one-party Communist rule, to shock therapy and accession to the European Union, to the rise of nationalist populism. Delve into the social, economic, and political legacies of the Communist era and explore the unequal fortunes of individuals and social groups, the shifting electoral realities of Polish politics, and more. This wide-ranging and insightful analysis offers a holistic understanding of Poland's remarkable journey over the past three decades. Contributors are: Robert M Kunovich, Marcin Ślarzyński, Dariusz Przybysz, Mikołaj Lewicki, Danuta Życzyńska-Ciołek, Małgorzata Mikucka, Nataliia Pohorila, Sandy Marquart-Pyatt, Aaron Ponce, Katarzyna Kopycka

The world has witnessed the creation of new democracies and the maturing of old ones. Yet, everywhere there is democracy, there is also political inequality. Voices of everyday folk struggle to be heard; often, they keep silent. Governments respond mostly to the influential and the already privileged. Our age of democracy, then, is the old age of inequality. This book builds on U.S. scholarship on the topic of political inequality to understand its forms, causes and consequences around the world. Comprised of nine theoretical, methodological and empirical chapters, this path-creating edited collection contains original works by both established and young, up-and-coming social scientists, including those from Latin America, Eastern Europe, Greece and the U.S. Political Inequality in an Age of Democracy addresses the present and future of the concept of political inequality from multi-disciplinary and cross-national perspectives.