American Government and Politics : A Concise Introduction

by Robert Singh

• ISBN13: 9780761940937
• ISBN10: 0761940936
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-02-24
• Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd

Summary

American Government and Politics is a completely new introductory textbook designed and written for all students of politics coming to the subject for the first time. It provides a lively and accessible introduction and guide to all the main features and characteristics of one of the most distinctive and complex contemporary political systems in the world. From the impeachment of Bill Clinton, to the controversy surrounding the 2000 presidential election, and the Bush administration's responses to September 11, students will gain a balanced and critical understanding of all the key issues and debates in contemporary American government and politics today. A number of key underlying themes include: - the nature of American values and identity - the influence of the constitution on political development - the ways in which key governing institutions function to produce domestic and foreign policy. Key features include: - comprehensive glossary of key terms - discussion and summary boxes - web links and guides to further reading Robert Singh is a lecturer in politics at Birkbeck College, London. American Government and Politics: A Concise Introduction is the foundation companion text to Contemporary American Politics: Issues and Controversies also published by SAGE. 'Rob Singh has written a finely organized and informative textbook that combines to an unusually high degree analytical clarity, accessibility of style and form, and an enlightened scepticism about received wisdom. This is an admirable book' - Nigel Bowles, St Anne's College, Oxford 'Full of topical information and written with sparkling clarity, this book is a short-cut to excellence for the discriminating student' - Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones, Professor of American History, University of Edinburgh 'In American Government and Politics Robert Singh provides an excellent introduction to the subject. His approach is wide ranging, his examples well selected and his style is accessible. It will make an ideal book for introductory and more advanced university courses on US government. I strongly recommend the book to teachers and students' - Desmond King, Mellon Professor of American Government, University of Oxford 'This is a well written and lively book that is an important addition to the ranks of textbooks on American politics. One of its many virtues is its recognition that the textbook today is useful to a student only if it links to the world of web-based resources. Highly recommended' - Alan Ware, Worcester College, Oxford

Table of Contents

List of Exhibits and Tables	ix
Preface	xv
Acknowledgements	xvii
Americanism	1	(24)
The Architecture of American Politics	3	(1)
America's Social Base	4	(2)
`Americanism' as an Ideology	6	(6)
An Anti-Government Political Culture	12	(7)
American Exceptionalism: how different?	19	(3)
Conclusion	22	(1)
Further Reading	23	(1)
Questions	24	(1)
The US Constitution	25	(21)
Origins: What did the Founding Fathers want to achieve?	26	(6)
Why has the Constitution endured so long and changed so little?	32	(3)
Constitutional Amendment and Judicial Adaptation	35	(1)
Interpreting the Constitution	36	(3)
An Aid to Social Change or a Barrier?	39	(4)
Conclusion	43	(1)
Further Reading	43	(1)
Web Links	44	(1)
Questions	45	(1)
Political Parties and the Party System	46	(28)
The US Constitution	48	(2)
What do the Democrats and Republicans Stand for?	50	(11)
How Healthy? Decline, Adaptation and Revival	61	(10)
Conclusion	71	(1)
Further Reading	72	(1)
Web Links	72	(1)
Questions	73	(1)
Elections and Voting Behaviour	74	(29)
Voting and Non-voting: rationality and ignorance	76	(3)
The Electoral System and the Electoral College	79	(4)
The Features of American Elections	83	(7)
Explaining American Voting Behaviour	90	(9)
Conclusion	99	(2)
Further Reading	101	(1)
Web Links	101	(1)
Questions	102	(1)
Presidential Selection	103	(24)
The Traditional Picture	105	(1)
The Breakdown of the Established System	106	(1)
The Post-Reform Process	107	(10)
Evaluating the Criticisms	117	(7)
Conclusion	124	(1)
Further Reading	125	(1)
Web Links	125	(1)
Questions	126	(1)
The Presidency	127	(26)
The US Constitution	129	(5)
Presidential Leadership	134	(1)
Presidential Success	135	(9)
From Imperial to Impotent and back again?	144	(4)
After the Postmodern Presidency	148	(2)
Conclusion	150	(1)
Further Reading	150	(1)
Web Links	151	(1)
Questions	152	(1)
Congress	153	(24)
The US Constitution	155	(1)
American Bicameralism: House and Senate	156	(4)
Committees and Leadership	160	(2)
Parties and Caucuses	162	(2)
The Electoral Connection	164	(4)
Three Eras of Congress	168	(5)
In defence of Congress: a qualifying note	173	(1)
Conclusion	174	(1)
Further Reading	175	(1)
Web Links	176	(1)
Questions	176	(1)
The Supreme Court	177	(25)
The role of the courts	179	(3)
The structure of the court system	182	(3)
Denying Democracy? The Case of Flag-burning	185	(1)
Appointing the justices	185	(5)
After the appointment: life tenure and judicial independence	190	(1)
Three Courts, Three Types of `Activism'	190	(3)
The Limits to Court influence	193	(3)
A Juridicized Politics and a Politicized Judiciary?	196	(2)
Conclusion	198	(1)
Further Reading	199	(1)
Web Links	200	(1)
Questions	201	(1)
Interest Groups	202	(17)
Interest Group Activism	204	(1)
A Typology of Interest Groups	205	(1)
Interest Group Functions, Strategies and Tactics	206	(3)
Approaches to Interest Group Influence	209	(2)
The Best Democracy Money Can Buy?	211	(4)
Conclusion	215	(2)
Further Reading	217	(1)
Web Links	218	(1)
Questions	218	(1)
The Federal Bureaucracy	219	(18)
The Growth of the Federal Bureaucracy	221	(1)
The US Constitution	222	(6)
Bureaucratic and Democratic Values	228	(1)
The Functions of the Federal Bureaucracy	229	(1)
Structure and Composition	230	(2)
Evaluating the Federal Bureaucracy	232	(2)
Conclusion	234	(1)
Further Reading	235	(1)
Web Links	235	(1)
Questions	236	(1)
Domestic Policy	237	(25)
Federalism	240	(6)
Public Policy	246	(1)
Economic Policy	246	(6)
Social Policy	252	(3)
Criminal Justice Policy	255	(3)
Conclusion	258	(1)
Further Reading	259	(1)
Web Links	259	(2)
Questions	261	(1)
Foreign Policy	262	(23)
The Historical Context	264	(2)
Making Foreign Policy	266	(1)
The US Constitution	267	(1)
The Executive Branch	268	(4)
Congress	272	(2)
The Military--Industrial Complex	274	(4)
Intermediary Organizations	278	(4)
Conclusion	282	(1)
Further Reading	283	(1)
Web Links	283	(1)
Questions	284	(1)
Conclusion	285	(3)
Appendix I: Glossary	288	(24)
Appendix II: The Constitution of the United States of America	312	(17)
Bibliography	329	(4)
Index	333