Modern Politics and Government Seventh Edition

by Ball, Alan R.; Peters, B. Guy

• ISBN13: 9780333961612
• ISBN10: 0333961617
• Edition: 7th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-04-16
• Publisher: Red Globe Pr

Summary

This substantially revised seventh edition of a classic text includes a new chapter on globalization and regionalization and broader coverage of democratic politics, interests and movements; of the media; of social and cultural influences on political behaviour and of public management. It has been systematically revised and updated throughout in the accessible down-to-earth style that has made it such a popular student choice for over 30 years.

Author Biography

Alan R. Ball was formerly Principal Lecturer in Politics, University of Portsmouth.

B. Guy Peters is Maurice Falk Professor of Government, University of Pittsburgh.

Table of Contents

List of Tables	x
Preface	xi
PART I THE NATURE OF POLITICS
The Study of Politics	3	(22)
The problem of boundaries	4	(2)
The search for a paradigm	6	(9)
Traditional approaches	7	(3)
Comparative studies	10	(2)
Transitional approaches	12	(3)
Further developments	15	(6)
Systems analysis	16	(2)
Other theoretical developments	18	(3)
Political studies and practical politics	21	(2)
Conclusion	23	(2)
Politics, Power and Authority	25	(19)
Sources of political conflict	28	(2)
Means of reconciling political conflict	30	(2)
Political power	32	(3)
Political authority and influence	35	(2)
Distribution of power	37	(6)
Pluralism	38	(2)
Elitism	40	(1)
Marxism	41	(1)
Corporatism	42	(1)
Conclusion	43	(1)
Classification of Governments	44	(21)
Aims of classification	44	(5)
Problems of classification	49	(2)
Systems of classification	51	(7)
Classification of political structures	58	(5)
Conclusion	63	(2)
Political Culture	65	(24)
The nature of a political culture	65	(3)
Foundations of political culture	68	(6)
Key aspects of a political culture	74	(3)
Symbols and political culture	77	(2)
Development of a political culture	79	(2)
Political socialization	81	(1)
Agencies of socialization	82	(4)
Socialization and the political system	86	(1)
Conclusion	87	(2)
Globalization and the Influence of International Politics	89	(22)
The international environment	90	(1)
Economic globalization	91	(4)
Political globalization	95	(3)
Policy globalization and regimes	98	(5)
Military globalization	103	(1)
Cultural globalization	104	(2)
Conclusion	106	(5)
PART II PARTIES, PRESSURE GROUPS AND REPRESENTATION
Political Parties and Electoral Systems	111	(28)
Definition	112	(1)
Functions of political parties	113	(6)
Party structure	119	(4)
Determinants of party structure	123	(3)
Party systems	126	(4)
Change and party systems	130	(2)
Electoral systems and political parties	132	(4)
The crisis of political parties	136	(2)
Conclusion	138	(1)
Pressure Groups	139	(21)
Pressure-group analysis	140	(4)
Determinants of pressure-group methods	144	(6)
Levels of pressure-group activity	150	(4)
Determinants of pressure-group influence	154	(3)
Interest groups and social capital	157	(2)
Conclusion	159	(1)
Representation, Elections and Voting Behaviour	160	(27)
Theories of representation	161	(2)
Liberal democratic theories of representation	163	(3)
Collectivist theories of representation	166	(1)
Functions of elections	167	(3)
Voting behaviour	170	(10)
Turnout	172	(1)
Choosing political parties	172	(8)
The role of the mass media	180	(4)
Conclusion	184	(3)
PART III STRUCTURES OF GOVERNMENT
Assemblies	187	(22)
The nature of assemblies	188	(2)
Assembly--executive relations	190	(6)
Legislative functions	196	(3)
Representative functions	199	(1)
Internal organization	200	(4)
Second chambers	204	(3)
Conclusion: the decline of assemblies?	207	(2)
The Political Executive	209	(21)
The executive and the bureaucracy	209	(3)
Chief executives	212	(5)
Origins and stability of chief executives	217	(3)
Functions and powers of chief executives	220	(2)
Chief executives and the political process	222	(3)
Cabinets	225	(4)
Conclusion	229	(1)
The Public Bureaucracy	230	(21)
Scope of government administration	230	(3)
Structure	233	(2)
Functions	235	(5)
Control of the bureaucracy	240	(4)
Recruitment and training	244	(3)
Changing the bureaucracy	247	(3)
Conclusion	250	(1)
Courts and the Political Process	251	(18)
The nature of law and the political process	254	(3)
Legal structure and recruitment	257	(4)
Functions of the judiciary	261	(5)
Control of the judiciary	266	(2)
Conclusion	268	(1)
The Military and Politics	269	(22)
Characteristics of the military	270	(3)
Limited interference in the political process	273	(4)
Direct interference	277	(3)
Military control	280	(6)
Conclusion	286	(5)
PART IV POLITICAL CHANGE
Change in Political Systems	291	(23)
Problems of analysis	291	(3)
Political stability	294	(3)
Political change	297	(1)
Causes of political change	298	(8)
Economic and social factors	299	(1)
War and foreign intervention	300	(1)
Effectiveness of government	301	(1)
Individuals, groups and political elites	302	(2)
Political ideologies	304	(2)
The East European revolutions, 1989	306	(3)
Retrograde political change?	309	(1)
Change in industrialized democracies	310	(2)
Conclusion	312	(2)
Bibliography	314	(18)
Index	332