The politics of empowerment /

Sophisticated observers of American political life recognize that "empowerment" is a buzzword whose meaning depends on who is advocating it. Weissberg uses that observation as a starting point for a study that purports to explore the different uses of the term and to evaluate the political programs that claim to empower citizens. What he has produced instead is a conservative ideological polemic that rounds up the usual suspects and bashes them with their own empowerment rhetoric. His thesis is that when liberals, feminists, academics, African Americans, and bureaucrats try to empower citizens, the outcomes are expanded bureaucracy, misconceived "do-goodism," majority tyranny, costly and ineffective social programs, and dashed hopes for social improvement. When conservatives make the same attempt, the results are consistent with the ideals of pluralism, strengthened civil society, traditional values, and a stable polity. These views are supported mostly by anecdotal evidence and policy analysis laced with conservative one-liners. Those inclined to agree with Weissberg will find this a well-written book that covers a lot of ground and offers support for their preconceived notions of the evils of big government and liberal social engineering. Those seeking a dispassionate, objective, and evenhanded study of what it means to empower citizens will have to look elsewhere. Graduate students and faculty. M. Engel Westfield State College