Abstract Declining trust in government and rising support for democratic ideals can reshape the democratic process. But the new shape of politics depends on the choices that citizens and governments make. The dissatisfaction of contemporary publics can be a stimulus for democratic reform, and already substantial institutional change has followed from the public's demands for reform. But dissatisfaction can also erode the foundations of the democratic process if governments do not respond or attempt to exploit this dissatisfaction for short-term political gain. This chapter discusses the democratic choices we now face in this context of an increasing dissatisfied public.
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