The passage discusses how the American government and political system have changed over time. It describes how the government grew slowly for the first 150 years but then expanded its authority and role. The number of interest groups and amount of government regulation has increased. Modern political candidates must appeal to a wide audience rather than just party bosses. The system is now more decentralized and fragmented, allowing new policy ideas to emerge through public debate.

1. Chapter Twenty-two The Nature of American Democracy