To some, the word populism suggests the tyranny of the mob; to others, it suggests a xenophobic nativism. It is often even considered conducive to (if not simply identical to) fascism. In Democratic Theory Naturalized: The Foundations of Distilled Populism, Walter Horn uses his theory of "CHOICE Voluntarism” to offer solutions to some of the most perplexing problems in democratic theory and distill populism to its core premise: giving people the power to govern themselves without any constraints imposed by those on the left or the right. Beginning with explanations of what it means to vote and what makes one society better off than another, Horn analyzes what makes for fair aggregation and appropriate, deliberative representation. Through his examination of the American government, Horn suggests solutions to contemporary problems such as gerrymandering, immigration control, and campaign finance, and offers answers to age-old questions like why dissenters should obey the majority and who should have the right to vote in various elections.

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Erudite, insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Democratic Theory Naturalized: The Foundations of Distilled Populism" is an extraordinarily timely contribution to our on-going national discussion and analysis of contemporary politics both nationally and regionally. Providing a useful analysis of native populism's threat to the democratic norms of American democracy as established over the past two centuries, as well as possible solutions to restoring and safe-guarding those political norms, "Democratic Theory Naturalized: The Foundations of Distilled Populism" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary Political Science collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.