American Politics, Then & Now and Other Essays

by Wilson, James Q.

• ISBN13: 9780844743196
• ISBN10: 0844743194
• Edition: 12th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-06-16
• Publisher: Aei Press

Summary

James Q. Wilson is one of America's most distinguished public policy scholars. This volume brings together the best of his writing on many facets of American culture, society, and government. Wilson explores the changing nature of American politics, terrorism and extremism, the role of the media, the intersection of science, religion, and politics, and the revival of the old-fashioned notion of character. The Collected Essays is a wise and compelling portrait of American politics and society.

Author Biography

James Q. Wilson is one of America's Preeminent public policy scholars. For decades, he has analyzed the changing political and cultural landscape with clarity and honesty, bringing his wisdom to bear on all facets of American government at society. American Politics, Then & Now is a collection of fifteen of Wilson's most insightful essays---drawing on theirty years of his observations on religion, crime, the media, terrorism and extremism, and the old-fashioned notion of "character." Readers of every political persuasion will come away from this volume with a new understanding of how American politics and culture have evolved over the last half-century.

These essays are not "the grumpy words of a conservative who can't be reconciled to the realities of contemporary American life," Wilson writess. Rather, they are straight talk from a painstaking empiricist and consummate social scientist who believes in American exceptionalism. American Politics, Then & Now is a compelling portrait of a beloved nation.

James Q. Wilson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in 2003. He received a lifetime achievement award from the American Political Science Assoication and the Bradley Prize from the Bradley Foundation. Wilson lectures at Pepperdine University and Boston College and was previously a professor of government at Harvard and a professor of management and public policy at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is the chairman of the Council of Academic Advisers of the American Enterprise Institute.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
The Changing Nature of American Politics	p. 1
American Politics, Then & Now: Originally published in Commentary, February 1979	p. 3
A Real Change?	p. 5
The Expansion of the Political Agenda	p. 7
The Atomization of Congress and the Parties	p. 10
The Role of Ideas	p. 13
"Policy Intellectuals" and Public Policy: Originally published in The Public Interest, Summer 1981	p. 19
The Influence of Intellectuals	p. 20
Doing Intellectual Work	p. 24
Why Some Intellectual Products Are Better	p. 29
The Role of Intellectuals	p. 31
The Rediscovery of Character: Private Virtue and Public Policy: Originally published in The Public Interest, Fall 1985	p. 35
Schooling	p. 37
Welfare	p. 39
Public Finance	p. 42
Crime	p. 44
Character and Policy	p. 47
The Press at War: Originally published in City Journal, Fall 2006	p. 50
Defining the "Peace Party": With Karlyn Bowman originally published in The Public Interest, Fall 2003	p. 62
An Exceptional Case?	p. 63
Party Politics	p. 64
Ideology Matters	p. 65
Black Opinion	p. 67
The Peace Candidate	p. 69
Bowling with Others: Originally published in Commentary, October 2007	p. 72
How Divided Are We?: Originally published in Commentary, February 2006	p. 79
A Closer Look at the Divisions	p. 80
Why Is Polarization Growing?	p. 84
Divisions among Ordinary Americans	p. 88
What's Wrong with Polarization?	p. 92
Religion and Politics	p. 95
Religion and Polarization: Originally published in America at Risk: Threats to Liberal Self-Government in an Age of Uncertainty (University of Michigan Press, 2009)	p. 97
The Historical Legacy of Religion	p. 98
Religion and Public Opinion	p. 99
Religion Abroad	p. 100
The Persistence of Religion in America	p. 102
Religion, Politics, and Markets	p. 105
Religion Constrained by Politics	p. 108
The Constraints of Political Life	p. 110
Identifying Religious Voters	p. 111
The Apparent Benefits of Religion	p. 113
Our Shared Obligations	p. 115
Why Don't Jews Like the Christians Who Like Them?: Originally published in City Journal, Winter 2008	p. 124
What Makes a Terrorist?: Originally published in City Journal, Winter 2004	p. 131
Crazy, Poor, or Desperate?	p. 133
Methods of Recruitment	p. 136
An End to Terrorism?	p. 139
The Reform Islam Needs: Originally published in City Journal, Autumn 2002	p. 143
Islam and Freedom: Originally published in Commentary, December 2004	p. 154
Democracy for All?: Originally published in Commentary, March 2000	p. 165
Heredity and Politics	p. 175
The Dan of Politics: Genes Shape Our Beliefs, Our Values, and Even Our Votes: Originally published in City Journal, Winter 2009	p. 177
The Future of Blame: Originally published in National Affairs, Winter 2010	p. 183
Explaining Behavior	p. 184
The Social Animal	p. 186
Just Punishment	p. 190
Praise and Blame	p. 192
Conclusion: America versus the World	p. 193
Index	p. 199
About the Author	p. 213
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.