Understanding the Political World

Preface p. xiii To the Reader p. xix Maps p. xxi Part I On Knowing the Political World Chapter 1 Politics and Knowledge p. 1 Towards a Definition of Politics p. 3 On Political Knowledge p. 5 Types of Political Knowledge p. 5 Description p. 5 Explanation p. 6 Prescription p. 7 Compare In 1 The Acid Test I p. 8 Sources of Political Knowledge p. 10 Authority p. 10 Personal Thought p. 13 Science p. 14 Political Science p. 15 Doing Comparative Analysis p. 16 Political Science and Political Knowledge p. 16 The Debate In 1 Is Political Science Possible? p. 17 The Subfields of Political Science? p. 18 Where is This Book Going? p. 19 lFocus In 1 The Political Knowledge of Different Age Groups in the United States p. 21 Part II Political Behavior Chapter 2 Political Theory and Political Beliefs p. 26 Normative Political Theory p. 29 Focus In 2 Great Britain as a Context for Some Great Political Theorists p. 30 Political Ideology p. 31 Conservatism p. 33 Classical Liberalism p. 34 Socialism p. 36 Some Further Points About "Isms" p. 39 Individual Political Beliefs p. 42 Types of Political Orientations p. 42 Identifying Specific Beliefs p. 43 Belief Systems p. 45 Political Culture p. 48 National Character Studies p. 48 The Debate In 2 Is There a "Clash of Civilizations"? p. 49 Survey Research Analyses p. 50 Compare In 2 Value Differences Across Countries p. 51 Looking Ahead p. 53 Chapter 3 Political Actions p. 57 Individual Political Actions p. 60 Modes of Political Activity p. 60 Political Activists p. 61 Political Participation Studies p. 63 Compare In 3 Extent of Political Actions in Mexico and Poland p. 66 Group Political Actions p. 68 Political Interest Groups p. 69 Activities of Political Interest Groups p. 69 Constraints on a Group's Behavior p. 71 Types of Interest Groups p. 72 The Debate In 3 How Interested Are Interest Groups in Democracy? p. 73 Political Parties p. 76 Activities of Political Parties p. 76 Focus In 3 Let's Party! The Rise of the Green Party in Germany p. 77 Doing Politics p. 79 Chapter 4 Influences on Beliefs and Actions p. 84 The Environment p. 87 Agents of Political Socialization p. 89 The Family p. 89 Focus In 4 Political Socialization in China p. 90 Schools p. 92 Peer Groups p. 92 The Media p. 93 The Debate In 4 Do the New ICTs Substantially Change Our Political Beliefs and Actions? p. 94 Religion p. 96 Culture p. 96 Events p. 97 Personal Characteristics p. 97 Compare In 4 You Go Your Way, I'll Go Mine p. 100 Political Personality p. 102 Personality p. 103 Biology and Human Nature p. 105 Concluding Observations p. 106 Part III Political Systems Chapter 5 Political Systems, States, and Nations p. 111 The State p. 113 A Legal Definition of the State p. 113 A Structural-Functional Definition of the State p. 115 The Debate In 5 Does Humanitarian Intervention Violate State Sovereignty? p. 116 Major Goals p. 118 The Nation p. 121 Nation and State p. 122 Focus In 5 State and Nations: The Indian Subcontinent p. 123 The Political System p. 124 Compare In 5 Power and Authority p. 126 Conceptualization of the Political System p. 128 Three Major Concepts: A Reprise p. 131 Chapter 6 Political Institutions I: Institutional Structures p. 135 Executives p. 137 Roles of Executives p. 138 Structural Arrangements p. 139 The Age of the Executive? p. 142 Legislatures p. 142 Roles of the Legislature p. 142 Focus In 6 Electoral Systems and Legislative Representation: South Africa p. 144 Legislative Structures p. 147 The Decline of Legislatures p. 149 Administrative Systems p. 150 Administrative Functions and Power p. 150 Bureaucracy as One Form of Administration p. 151 Compare In 6 Five Styles of Administration p. 152 Judiciaries p. 153 Aspects of Adjudication p. 154 Judicial Structures p. 155 The Debate In 6 Is Judicial Review Democratic? p. 156 Styles of Adjudication p. 158 Concluding Observations p. 159 Chapter 7 Political Institutions II: Institutional Arrangements p. 163 Constitutions and Constitutional Regimes p. 166 Constitutions p. 166 Constitutional Regimes p. 167 Nonconstitutional Regimes p. 167 Democracies and Nondemocracies p. 168 Defining Democracy p. 170 Defining Nondemocracies p. 172 A Democracy-Nondemocracy Measure p. 174 Areal Distribution of Power p. 175 Unitary State p. 175 Federation p. 177 Confederation p. 178 Forms of Executive-Legislative Relations p. 179 Presidential Government p. 179 Parliamentary Government p. 180 Hybrid Systems p. 182 Council Systems p. 183 FocusIn 7 A Hybrid System in Action: France p. 183 Assembly Systems p. 184 Which Form Is Optimal? p. 185 The Debate In 7 Which Form of Government Is Preferable: Parliamentary, Presidential, or Hybrid? p. 185 Political Party Systems p. 187 Two-Party Systems p. 189 Multiparty Systems p. 189 Dominant-Party Systems p. 190 One-Party Systems p. 191 Compare In 7 Party Systems in Four Countries p. 191 No-Party Systems p. 192 Classification and Clarity p. 193 Chapter 8 Political Economy p. 197 Politics and Economics p. 199 A Political-Economic Framework p. 200 Factors, Firms, and Households/Consumers p. 200 Getting and Spending p. 202 The State Joins In p. 204 The World Joins In p. 205 The Economy Strikes Back p. 206 Measuring Economic Prosperity p. 207 Compare In 8 Wealth Inequality p. 210 Two Ideal-Type Political Economies p. 211 The Market Economy: Total Private Contro p. 212 The Command Economy: Total State Control p. 214 Key Problems of Each Ideal-Type Political Economy p. 215 Market Economy p. 215 Command Economy p. 216 The Mixed Economy p. 216 Focus In 8 Mexico's Political Economy p. 219 Politics Plus Political Economy: The Other "ISMS" p. 220 The Three "Isms" p. 220 The Real World p. 221 The Debate In 8 Is Communism Dead? p. 222 Concluding Observations p. 226 Part IV Political Processes Chapter 9 Public Policy, Power, and Decision p. 230 Public Policy p. 233 Types of Public Policies p. 233 Compare In 9 Selected Public Policies in Seven Countries p. 235 Analysis of the Stages of the Policy Process p. 236 Policy Impact Analysis p. 238 Policy Prescription p. 239 Explaining Public Policy Decision! Making p. 239 The Elite Approach p. 240 Key Concepts p. 240 Major Theorists p. 240 The Public Policy Process page.