Basically people are lazy and aren't willing to do their own research on issues. They therefore get their news and views primarily from TV, newspapers, magazines and friends/family (who got theirs from the same sources). Few people think critically about what they are told/read and the various news media tend to be biased one way or another politically/ideologically (largely because of the ideology of the individuals or interest groups that fund the media company) so all stories have a bias.
You only have to be involved/knowledgeable about a few issues covered by the press to recognize that EVERY story makes errors or slants the facts a bit one way or another, and SOME are ouright misleading and untrue. A perfect example is Fox News who have one of the highest incidence of misleading reporting of all media.
The inevitable result is that most people form views and opinions based on their basic ideology and biased reporting. A few people are more critical and are willing to cut through the conflicting views and form their own opinions based on the facts, not second hand pundit's views.
It's not difficult to see how -- if the majority get views and opinions from the press / media -- the media has a major influence on democracy.
:)
democracy
Alexis de Tocqueville, a French political thinker and historian, was inspired by the Puritans. He admired their spirit of democracy, self-reliance, and moral values, and wrote about their influence on American society in his book "Democracy in America."
French historian and political thinker, Alexis de Tocqueville is the author of the book "Democracy in America." "Democracy in America" was published in two volumes, the first in 1835 and the second in 1840.
Democracy is a political idea of how people should conduct their government. The Greeks were the first society to practice a form of democracy.
political stability
all of the above
Paul N. Goldstene has written: 'The bittersweet century' -- subject(s): Democracy, Political aspects, Political aspects of Science, Science 'Democracy in America'
political stability
political stability
Pacted democracies in Latin America can help promote political stability by fostering cooperation among different political forces. However, these agreements can also hinder the development of a truly pluralistic democracy by concentrating power in the hands of a few political elites and limiting the participation of marginalized groups in the political process.
No Rome was around and fell around 2000 years ago, way before America was even heard of.
Paulo J. Krischke has written: 'The Learning of Democracy in Latin America' -- subject(s): Democracy, Democratization, Political aspects of Social change, Political participation, Social change