ABSTRACT
And yet many Americans dislike campaigns. They believe them to be too negative, too drawn out, and too expensive. How can this view be reconciled with the claim that campaigns are an essential element of democracy? To acknowledge the importance of campaigns is not to say that all campaigns are equally beneficial. Some are better than others at providing voters with the kind of information they need to render judgment. Furthermore, the norms and laws that govern campaigns in a particular country-what we might call the country’s campaign system-may better foster democratic deliberation than the campaign system of other countries. The obligation to debate one’s opponent, for example, may exist in one place but not another. The length of campaigns, the amount and sources of campaign funds, and the limits (or lack thereof) on campaign advertising are only a few of the other aspects of campaigns that may help or hinder their ability to fulfill their democratic role.
