Power and Choice

A truly comparative introduction to political science that reflects the diversity of approaches to the discipline Power & Choice offers an in-depth look into the nuances of politics through the analysis of collective choices for a group or state through the use of power. Organized topically and using extended case examples from around the world, Power & Choice provides undergraduate students with a clear and engaging introduction to political science and comparative politics. The 16th Edition has been updated to address the issues raised by the covid-19 pandemic, as well as the impact the Trump and Biden presidencies have had so far upon the world and its democracies, including challenges in states such as Hungary where illiberal democracy and nationalism are on the rise. The authors have also included discussion of the impact of the death of George Floyd upon race relations in America, and how issues such as growing inequality are impacting politics. This edition adds examination of women's economic development and the rising importance of LGBTQ issues globally.

W. Phillips Shively is professor of political science at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of The Craft of Political Research, 10th edition(2017), as well as numerous articles on elections and methods of analysis. David Schultz is Distinguished University Professor in the departments of political science, environmental studies, and legal studies at Hamline University. He is also a professor of law at the University of Minnesota. David has a JD and LLM in law, a PhD in political science, and a MS in astronomy. A three-time Fulbright scholar who has taught extensively in Europe and Asia, and the winner of the Leslie A. Whittington national award for excellence in public affairs teaching, David is the author of more than 35 books and over 200 articles on various aspects of American politics, election law, and the media and politics, and he is regularly interviewed and quoted in the local, national, and international media. His most recent books are Encyclopedia of Money in American Politics (2018) and Presidential Swing States (2018). Prior to teaching, Professor Schultz also served as a city director of code enforcement, zoning, and planning in Binghamton, NY, and worked as a housing and economic planner for a community action agency.

List of Tables, Figures, and Photos List of Examples Preface PART I THE IDEA OF POLITICS 1 Politics: Setting the Stage Politics Politics as the Making of Common Decisions Politics as the Exercise of Power Power and Choice Politics of the State Political Science The Pleasures of Politics Key Terms | Review Questions 2 Modern Ideologies and Political Philosophy American Ideologies Liberalism The Conservative Reaction Liberalism and Conservatism in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries The Socialist Alternative Communism and Socialism Fascism Ideologies in the Twenty-First Century Religion, Politics, and Political Philosophy Political Philosophy in Other Historical Eras Key Terms | Review Questions PART II THE STATE AND PUBLIC POLICY 3 The Modern State The Development of the Modern State The Origin of States: Power or Choice? The State as a Device to Provide Public Goods and Address Externalities "State," "Nation," and the "Nation-State" State-Building Government and the State Challenges to the State Example 3.1 - State-Building in Nigeria Example 3.2 - State-Building in the European Union Key Terms | Review Questions 4 Policies of the State The Role of Government in the Third World Why Are the World's States Expanding? Constraints and Conditions for Policy Defense Policy Education Research and Development Health and Social Welfare Human Rights Progress Across the Last Century and a Half The Place of Power in Policy Analysis Example 4.1 - The Demographic Challenge Example 4.2 - Economic Development Compared with "Human Development" Example 4.3 - Rwanda's War on Plastic Bags Example 4.4 - Female Economic Development Key Terms | Review Questions 5 Economic Policy of the State Economic Performance I: Growth Economic Performance II: Controlling Inflation and Unemployment Distribution and Economic Inequality Independent Central Banks Corruption Other Measures Available to Government Globalization: Are States Losing Their Ability to Make Economic Policy? Political Economy Example 5.1 - Economic Policy in Germany Example 5.2 - Economic Policy in Indonesia Key Terms | Review Questions 6 What Lies Behind Policy: Questions of Justice and Effectiveness The Problem of Justice Other Aspects of Justice: Procedural Justice Effectiveness A Basic Question of Effectiveness: Authority versus the Market Power and Choice The Need to Act, Even under Uncertainty Example 6.1 - Political Choice Key Terms | Review Questions PART III THE CITIZEN AND THE REGIME 7 Democracies and Authoritarian Systems The History and Evolution of Democracy Democracy Today The Coming and Going of Democracy Possible Explanations What Did We Learn from the Third Wave? Why Are Prosperous Countries Likely to Be Democracies? Democracy and Freedom Democracy and Capitalism Authoritarian Systems Military Government Why Aren't There More Military Governments? One-Party States Monarchies and Theocracies Democracy versus Authoritarianism: Material Considerations "Power and Choice" Again Example 7.1 - Authoritarian Drift in Venezuela? Example 7.2 - Theocracy in Iran Example 7.3 - The "Arab Spring": A Failed Wave of Democratization Example 7.4 - The European Colors Revolutions Key Terms | Review Questions 8 Political Culture and Political Socialization Analyzing Political Cultures Religion and Political Culture Political Socialization Media as Agents of Political Socialization Political Culture and the "Democratic Citizen" How Well Do Citizens Meet These Requirements? Social Capital Example 8.1 - Building Authority and Legitimacy in West Germany after World War II Example 8.2 - Declining Democratic Legitimacy in the United States Key Terms | Review Questions PART IV THE APPARATUS OF GOVERNANCE 9 Constitutions and the Design of Government Variations in Formality The Virtue of Vagueness Other Principles of Constitutional Design Constitution-Writing The Geographic Concentration of Power "Federal" and "Unitary" States The Distinction between "Unitary" and "Centralized" States How Much Centralization Is Good? Constitutions and Guarantees of Rights Written Constitutions Can Do Only So Much: The Importance of Norms Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law Example 9.1 - Constitutional Government in Great Britain Example 9.2 - Constitution-Writing in South Africa Key Terms | Review Questions 10 Elections Elections as a Means of Building Support Elections as a Means of Selecting Leaders and Policies Electoral Systems Ranked Choice Voting Referendums Electoral Participation Effects of Choice and Information on Turnout The Paradox of Voting The Bases of Individuals' Electoral Choices Example 10.1 - Proportional Representation Elections in Israel Example 10.2 - Elections in Nigeria Example 10.3 - Gender Quotas Key Terms | Review Questions 11 Parties: A Linking and Leading Mechanism in Politics The Political Party Origins of the Modern Party Political Parties and the Mobilization of the Masses Political Parties and the Recruitment and Socialization of Leaders Political Parties as a Source of Political Identity Political Parties as a Channel of Control Striking a Balance in Partisanship Party Organization Michels's "Iron Law of Oligarchy Party Finance The Digital Challenge to Parties Political Party Systems Party Change and Dynamics Power and Choice Example 11.1 - The Communist Party of China Example 11.2 - Canada's Political Parties Key Terms | Review Questions 12 Structured Conflict: Interest Groups and Politics Interest Groups and Representation Interest Groups and the Problem of Public Goods Types of Interest Groups Tactics of Interest Groups The Choice of Tactics Patterns of Organized Interest-Group Activity Pluralism Neocorporatism Pluralism and Neocorporatism: Power and Choice Example 12.1 - Interest Groups in France Example 12.2 - Attenuated Interest Groups in Bangladesh Key Terms | Review Questions 13 Social Movements and Contentious Politics Why Now? Advantages (and Disadvantages) of Informal Organization Example 13.1 - Two Uprisings in Iran Example 13.2 - The "Orange Revolution" in Ukraine Example 13.3 - George Floyd, Police Reform, and Black Lives Matter Key Terms | Review Questions 14 National Decision-Making Institutions: Parliamentary Government Head of State Head of Government Cabinet Control What Does a Parliament Do? Parliamentary Committees Upper Houses Advantages and Disadvantages of Parliamentary Government Let's Make Sure I Haven't Made This Sound Too Simple "Consensus" Parliamentarism Parliaments in Authoritarian Systems Example 14.1 - Parliamentary Government in India Example 14.2 - Parliamentary Government in Germany Example 14.3 - Should the US Change to a Parliamentary System? Key Terms | Review Questions 15 National Decision-Making Institutions: Presidential Government Political Parties and Presidential Government Presidential Leadership Presidential and Parliamentary Systems Compared Responsibility for Policy Presidential Systems and Comprehensive Policy Recruitment of Executive Leaders Review and Control of the Executive "Court" Politics Flexibility of the Political Process The Split Executive of Parliamentary Systems Why Aren't All Democracies Parliamentary Systems? Democracy and the Question of Accountability A Note on Institutions and Power Example 15.1 - Presidential Hybrid in France Example 15.2 - Presidential Government in Mexico Example 15.3 - US Presidential Selection Key Terms | Review Questions 16 Bureaucracy and the Public Sector Public Administration as a Political Problem Characteristics of Good Public Administration "Bureaucracy": A Reform of the Nineteenth Century Bureaucracy versus Flexibility The Problem of Protected Incompetence Adjustments to Bureaucracy Social Representativeness of Public Administration The Universal Problem of Bureaucracy Example 16.1 - The French Bureaucracy Example 16.2 - Bureaucratic Cultures in Europe and Africa Key Terms | Review Questions 17 Law and the Courts Anglo-Saxon Case Law Continental European Code Law The Blending of Case Law and Code Law Religious Law: The Sharia Courts Judicial Review Independent Judiciary and the State Example 17.1 - The Law in China Example 17.2 - The European Court of Justice Key Terms | Review Questions PART V INTERNATIONAL POLITICS 18 Global Politics: Politics among States (and Others) The Absence of Central Authority Fiduciary Political Roles and International Morality Theories of State in International Politics Impediments to International Communication Power and International Politics International Political Economy The Process of International Politics The Evolution of the International System since World War II The World since the Cold War Power and Choice in International Politics Example 18.1 - Climate Change: A Problem of Public Goods among States Example 18.2 - The United Nations A Personal Note Key Terms | Review Questions Appendix: Principles of Political Analysis Is Political Science a Science? Falsifiability What Makes a Statement Interesting? Causation and Explanation Historical Explanation A Few Common Pitfalls in Analysis Key Terms Glossary Notes Index