1

In a study conducted to reveal how influential individual American citizens are upon their government, it was discovered that at most, citizens have a 30% success rate of influencing public policy.

2

While individuals have a low success rate of influencing public policies, the Economic Elites have a rising influence based on the percentage of support. This graph depicts how a democratic society should influence its government, if the economic elite were people that is.

3

The study concluded that the average or 'median' voter has very little influence over public policy while private interest groups and the economic elite have a surprising large influence.

4

This is an excerpt from the study, which can be read in full : here.

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"Americans do enjoy many features central to democratic governance, such as regular elections, freedom of speech and association and a widespread (if still contested) franchise. But we believe that if policymaking is dominated by powerful business organisations and a small number of affluent Americans, then America's claims to being a democratic society are seriously threatened."

6

"Multivariate analysis indicates that economic elites and organised groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on US government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence"

7

"I hold it, that a little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical" –Thomas Jefferson

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Representation of a sitting of the Roman Senate:Cicero attacks Catilina, from a 19th-century fresco