Residential Segregation and Publicly Spirited Democracy

Successful deliberations over contentious issues require a publicly spirited citizenry that will encourage elected officials to promote what James Madison called the “permanent and aggregate interests” of country. Unfortunately, atomizing forces have pulled American society apart, undermining trust making collective action difficult. Residential segregation is one those forces. undermines commitment civic virtue because it encourages people think about fellow citizens as “others” with whom they little in common. To address this situation, we must start by fixing our neighborhoods creating local institutions enhance foster public-spirited democratic citizenry. For example, existing educational policies reinforce disparities associated residential created massive resource inequalities among school districts across A useful first step would be equalize district funding more genuine equality opportunity.