A Classroom Experiment in Legislative Politics

A CLASSROOM EXPERIMENT
IN LEGISLATIVE POLITICS

The Democracy 2000 experiment enables instructors to model and analyze, in the classroom, the effects that our election structure has on voters, legislators and public policy.

Any instructor whose students could benefit from the experiment, or who would like to test its hypothesis, is welcome to participate. Two class periods are required.

Democracy 2000 will provide instructors, ballots and evaluation forms. Our staff will also be available for any other support that is needed.

Classroom kits and support services are given to instructors free of charge with the understanding that they will return copies of the evaluation forms and a brief summary of their experience. All participants will receive a compilation of the data we collect.

The experiment has already drawn significant interest:

"Your experiment . . . could reveal patterns and ideas necessary to improve our democracy."

- Former Senator Bill Bradley

"Where the teacher is motivated to think about the process of representation, this experiment would certainly help to illuminate that process."

- Richard F. Fenno, Jr.,
University of Rochester

"A wonderful tool for my teaching. It forced students to rethink their assumptions about democracy and their role in making it more relevant to today's America."

- Karl Trautman, Washtenaw College

"My students responded well to the process and have been asking me when they can do something like it again. Thank you for providing such a useful experience for me and them."

- Mary Pettenger,
Metropolitan Community College

A full description of the experiment is available here on the website. To receive a bound copy, email us at dem2000@igc.org