The Second Republic

by Arian, Asher

• ISBN13: 9781566430524
• ISBN10: 1566430526
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-05-01
• Publisher: Chatham House Pub

Summary

This is a comprehensive, incisive, and easily readable guide to the rich past, the volatile present, and the promising future of this fascinating foothold of democracy in the mercurial Middle East. Arian uses analytical descriptions and extensive survey data to explain the complexities of Israeli political institutions, political behavior, and public policy. He chronicles the significant events of this dynamic nation's relatively brief experience of self-government and introduces the series of strong personalities who have dominated its domestic landscape.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction Legitimacy. Identity. Integration. Political Culture.	1	(18)
2. People of Israel Periods of Immigration. Emigration. Sephardim-Ashkenazim. Non-Jews, Arabs, and Palestinians.	19	(23)
3. Political Economy Prime Movers. Performance and Government Activity. Import Capital. Employment and Distribution.	42	(31)
4. The Political Elite Participation and the Elite. Crises of Succession. Knesset Members. Politics as a Vocation. Prime Ministers and Presidents. A Sephardi for President.	73	(30)
5. Political Parties Concentration of the Vote. Alignment Parties. Likud Parties. Religious Parties. Challenge from the Center. Arab Parties. Other Parties.	103	(38)
6. Party Organization The Party System. Organization. The Iron Law of Oligarchy. Adapting to New Conditions. Membership. Forming the Lists. Party Institutions.	141	(37)
7. The Electoral System Elections for the Prime Minister and the Knesset. The Date of Elections. Constitutional Provisions. Electoral Reform. One Reform Plan Not Yet Accepted, One That Was.	178	(28)
8. Electoral Behavior Voting Participation. Explaining the Vote. Voting Stability and Change. Issue Voting and Demography. Split-Ticket Voting. The Floating Vote. Party Images.	206	(31)
9. The Knesset, the Government, and the Judiciary The Absence of Checks and Balances. Prime Ministerial Government. Coalition Politics. The Cabinet. Knesset Members in Action. Legislation. The Judiciary.	237	(42)
10. Interest Groups and Public Policy The Israeli Case. Defense. The Histadrut. Agriculture. Religion.	279	(45)
11. Public Administration and Local Government Statism. Public Administration. Oversight. Local Government.	324	(27)
12. Aspects of Political Culture Political Ideology. Left-Right and Political Attitudes. Values. Political Communication. Political Socialization. Democratic Norms and Political Tolerance.	351	(32)
Notes	383	(20)
Glossary	403	(6)
Index	409	(11)
About the Author	420