Comparative politics today : a world view

Author(s)

• Almond, Gabriel A. (Gabriel Abraham)
• Dalton, Russell J.
• Powell, Jr, G. Bingham
• Strom, Kaare

Bibliographic Information

Comparative politics today : a world view

[edited by] Gabriel A. Almond ... [et al.]

Pearson/Longman, c2006

Updated 8th ed

Note

Includes bibliographical references and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

Comparative Politics Today is the text that defined the discipline of comparative politics and continues to set the standard for the course with and the most current country study chapters available. The chapters on England, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, India, and the United States have all been thoroughly updated. As in the previous edition, theoretical chapters (Chapters 1-7) at the beginning of the book explore the "purpose of government" and provide students with a framework for understanding comparative politics. The theoretical section is followed by 12 individual country studies. All country studies are written by pre-eminent specialists on that particular country, ensuring that students have the most reliable information and insights into the political systems of those nations.

Table of Contents

Detailed Contents Preface Acknowledgments Contributors Part One: Introduction Chapter 1: Issues in Comparative Politics What is Politics? Governments and the State of Nature Why Governments? When Does Government Become the Problem? Political Systems States Building Community Fostering Development Securing Democracy, Human Rights, and Civil Liberties Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 2: Comparing Political Systems Why We Compare How We Compare Systems: Environment and Interdependence Structures and Functions An Illustrative Comparison: Russia in 1985 and 2002 The Policy Level: Performance, Outcome, and Evaluation Key Terms Suggested Readings Part Two: System, Process, and Policy Chapter 3: Political Culture and Political Socialization Political Culture Mapping the Three Levels of Political Culture Political Socialization Agents of Political Socialization Trends in Contemporary Political Cultures Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 4: Interest Articulation Citizen Action Interest Groups Access to the Influential Policy Perspectives on Interest Articulation Interest Group Development Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 5: Interest Aggregation and Political Parties Personal Interest Aggregation Institutional Interest Aggregation Competitive Party Systems and Interest Aggregation Authoritarian Party Systems The Military and Interest Aggregation Trends in Interest Aggregation Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 6: Government and Policymaking Constitutions and Decision Rules Democracy and Authoritarianism Separation of Government Powers Geographic Distribution of Government Power Limitations on Government Power Checking the Top Policymakers Assemblies Political Executives The Bureaucracy Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 7: Public Policy Government and What It Does Extraction Distribution Regulation Community-Building and Symbolic Policies Outcomes: Domestic Welfare Domestic Security Outcomes International Outputs and Outcomes Political Goods and Values Strategies for Producing Political Goods Trade-offs and Opportunity Costs Key Terms Suggested Readings Part Three: Country Studies Chapter 8: Politics in England Current Policy Changes The Constraints of History The Environment of Politics The Structure of Government Political Culture and Legitimacy Political Socialization Political Participation and Recruitment Organizing Group Interests Party System and Electoral Choice Making and Delivering Government Policies Policy Outcomes and Changes in Society Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 9: Politics in France Current Policy Challenges A Historical Perspective Economy and Society Constitution and Governmental Structure Political Culture Political Socialization Mass Participation and Voting Recruitment and Style of Elites Interest Groups Political Parties Policy Processes The State and Territorial Relations Performance and Prospects Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 10: Politics in Germany Current Policy Challenges The Historical Legacy Following Two Paths Social Forces The Institutions and Structure of Government Remaking Political Cultures Political Learning and Political Communication Citizen Participation Politics at the Elite Level Interest Groups The Party System The Electoral System The Policy Process Policy Performance The Policy Challenges of Unification After the Revolution Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 11: Politics in Japan Current Policy Challenges Historical Origins of the Modern Japanese State The Occupation Political Institutions and the Policy Process Electoral Systems and the Nature of Electoral Competition The Japanese Party System The Internal Organization of the LDP Political Participation, Voting Behavior, and Interest Groups Political Culture and Issue Cleavages Policy Performance Concluding Thoughts About Japan's Democracy Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 12: Politics in Russia Rebuilding Russia Current Policy Challenges Historical Legacies The Contemporary Constitutional Order Russian Political Culture in the Post-Soviet Period Political Participation Interest Articulation: From Statism to Pluralism Parties and the Aggregation of Interests The Politics of Economic Reform Rule Adjudication: Toward the Rule of Law Russia and the International Community Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 13: Politics in China Current Policy Challenges Historical Setting Political History of the PRC Chinese Society A Community Party-State Political Structures Elite Recruitment Rule by Law Political Socialization Political Culture Political Participation Interest Articulation and Aggregation Policymaking and Implementation Corruption Policy Performance Hong Kong Taiwan China's Political Future Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 14: Politics in Mexico Current Policy Challenges Historical Perspectives Political Culture and Socialization Political Structure and Institutions Recruiting the Political Elite Interest Representation and Political Control Political Parties Government Performance Mexico's Political Future Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 15: Politics in Brazil Current Policy Challenges Historical Perspectives Economy and Society Institutions and Structures of Government Political Culture Political Recruitment and Political Participation Political Representation and Interest Groups Political Parties and Elections The Policy Process Policy Performance International Relations Prospects for the Future Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 16: Politics in Egypt Current Policy Challenges The Importance of Place The Legacy of History Institutions and Structure of Government Party System and Elections Political Culture and Socialization Political Participation and Recruitment Articulation and Aggregation of Interests Public Policy and Performance Crisis of Legitimacy Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 17: Politics in India Current Policy Challenges Beyond Indian "Exceptionalism" Some Basic "Givens" of the Indian Social Structure: From Hierarchy to Democratic Plurality The Twin Legacy of Colonial Rule and the Anticolonial Movement Political Socialization, Recruitment, and Political Culture Political Institutions and Policy Process The Federal Structure The Articulation and Aggregation of Interests The Economy, Welfare, and Regulation Conclusion: The Resilience of Pluralist Politics in India Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 18: Politics in Nigeria Current Policy Challenges The Effects of History Environmental Potential and Limitations Political Culture and Subcultures Political Socialization Political Recruitment Political Structure Interest Articulation Political Participation Parties and Elections Policy Formation and Implementation Nigeria in Africa and in the World Prospects for Development Key Terms Suggested Readings Chapter 19: Politics in the United States Current Policy Challenges The United States Among the World's Nations The Constitutional System Political Culture and Socialization The Mass Communications Media Political Participation and Recruitment Recruitment of Leaders Interest Articulation: Pressure Groups and PACS The Special Characteristics of American Political Parties The Policymaking Process in America Policy Performance American Exceptionalism: Myth or Reality? Conclusion Key Terms Suggested Readings Index

by "Nielsen BookData"

Details

• NCID: BA74893766
• ISBN:
  • 0321350995
• Country Code: us
• Title Language Code: eng
• Text Language Code: eng
• Place of Publication: New York
• Pages/Volumes: xxi, 804 p.
• Size: 26 cm
• Subject Headings:
  • LCSH : Comparative government