Elitism Populism and European Politics Author:Oxford University Press In the 1990s there has been an increasingly widespread sense that the governing elites are losing touch with their peoples. The contributors to this volume consider why there has been a degeneration in the quality of elite leaders, with civil societies turning against their governments and the elite mediators between the powerless and the powerf... more »ul. The agenda-setting role of the media, the rival appeals to representation and referendum, the problems encountered by political parties and organised interests, and the tensions between public demand and economic contraints are all discussed.« less