Comparative Politics Today
A World View, Update Edition
8th Edition
Published on 25. November 2005
Book
Paperback/Softback
832 pages
978-0-321-35099-2 (ISBN)
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.
More details
Edition
8th edition
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Pearson Education (US)
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 251 mm
Width: 206 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
1420 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-321-35099-2 (9780321350992)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
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Gabriel A. Almond | G. Bingham Powell | Russell J. Dalton
Comparative Politics Today
A World View, Update Edition: United States Edition
Book
09/2009
9th Edition
Pearson
€88.08
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Gabriel A. Almond | G. Bingham J. Powell, Jr. | Russell J. Dalton
Comparative Politics Today
A World View: United States Edition
Book
08/2007
9th Edition
Pearson
€104.17
Article is exhausted; no reprint
Content
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
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