This book discusses some of the main challenges that arise in the management of modern democracies, with a focus on the role of citizens and their perceptions of government.  A theoretical and practical framework is suggested for dealing with some of the most urgent problems that governments face today: the balance between bureaucracy and democracy, and between political and administrative concerns; the pressing economic concerns in a market-based, globalized knowledge society; and the changes in the relationship of trust amongst the players. At the heart of the analysis is the idea that running governments effectively means settling the potential conflicts between all those who are involved in the governmental process and in the making of public policy and public actions. The authors suggest approaches for strengthening the trust in democratic institutions and cooperation between the main actors in the democratic sphere, without compromising on the need to ensure effective governance.