With the exception of Jane Mansbridge's important and
groundbreaking analysis of "Shelby," Vermont (Beyond Ad-
versary Democracy, 1980), published scientific investigation of
face-to-face democracy in the New England town meeting is
almost nonexistent. Thus, Zimmerman's volume is not part of
a genealogy of scholarship on what I call "real" democracy, to
distinguish it from the direct democracy of referenda and
initiatives with which it is often confused. For many years his
interest has been what he terms (accurately) "law-making by
assembled citizens." Given the general misuse of the term
town meeting by politicians (which began with Carter and
was perfected by Clinton), intent on cloaking a variety of
self-serving public relations ploys in the robes of "pure"
democracy, Zimmerman provides at the very least a much
needed reality check for political scientists. In fact, in the
popular American lexicon (and even in the understandings of
many political scientists) town meeting has taken on a totally
new meaning, as exemplified in Andrew Fergurson's essay
("Ye Olde Town Meeting Gimmick," Time, March 2, 1998).