The Challenge of Politics: An Introduction to Political Science

Tables, Figures, Boxes, and Maps......Page 18
About the Authors......Page 22
Preface......Page 25
Introduction......Page 31
A Science of Politics......Page 34
Political Wisdom......Page 36
The Future of Politics and Political Science......Page 37
PART I • RULES OF THE GAME......Page 39
Chapter 1 • Games Politicans Play......Page 41
The Game of Politics......Page 43
Elements of the Game......Page 44
The Destruction-Accommodation-Conversion Continuum......Page 46
Athens and Melos......Page 49
Relevance to Modern Politics......Page 54
Lion and Fox: The Politics of the Nation-State......Page 58
Machiavelli: The End Justifies the Means......Page 59
Relevance to Modern Politics......Page 63
Civil Disobedience: The Politics of Morality......Page 65
Thoreau: “On Civil Disobedience”......Page 67
Relevance to Modern Politics......Page 71
Conclusion......Page 73
Suggested Readings......Page 74
Glossary Terms......Page 77
Chapter 2 • Politics and Choice......Page 80
Five Important Themes......Page 82
Elaborating the Theme......Page 84
Values, Facts, and Judgment......Page 87
Socrates and the Moral Life: Political Obligation in Ancient Athens......Page 89
Socrates’s Choice......Page 90
Questioning Socrates’s Choice......Page 94
Madison, the New Republic, and Federal Theory: The Struggle for Creative Breakthrough in Modern Politics......Page 96
The Problem: Reconciling Liberty and Authority......Page 98
Madison’s Solution......Page 100
Continuing Efforts to Reconcile Liberty and Authority......Page 104
The German Citizen and the Nazi Regime: Can Modern Citizens Bear the Burden of Freedom?......Page 106
The Situation in Germany......Page 109
Lessons of the Nazi Experience......Page 113
John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis: The Perils of Choice in the Nuclear Age......Page 115
Considering the Alternatives......Page 116
Making the Choice......Page 119
The Decision to Invade Iraq: The Perils of Inaccurate Information and Faulty Assumptions......Page 122
Historical Context......Page 124
Rationales for the 2003 Invasion......Page 126
What Went Wrong?......Page 128
Suggested Readings......Page 132
Glossary Terms......Page 135
Chapter 3 • Politcal Science: Components, Tasks, and Controversies......Page 139
The Basic Structure of Political Science......Page 141
The Three Major Components of Political Science......Page 145
The Ethical Component......Page 146
The Empirical Component......Page 147
The Prudential Component......Page 149
The Four Major Tasks of Political Science......Page 150
Ethical Recommendation......Page 151
Empirical Understanding......Page 154
Prudential Judgment......Page 156
Theoretical Integration......Page 158
Continuing Controversies in Political Science......Page 164
The Quest for the Good Political Life......Page 165
The Search for a Science of Politics......Page 168
Guidance for Leaders of State and Citizens......Page 175
Toward a Unified Discipline of Political Science......Page 178
Suggested Readings......Page 180
Glossary Terms......Page 183
Chapter 4 • The Physical, Social, and Cultural Environment of Politics......Page 187
Propositions and Challenges......Page 189
The Physical World We Live In......Page 193
Patterns of Population Growth......Page 194
Finite Resources......Page 196
The Biological, Physiological, Psychological, and Social Creatures We Are......Page 202
Human Needs......Page 203
Cooperation Versus Conflict......Page 204
The Social Communities We Have Built......Page 208
The Sociopsychological Setting of Politics......Page 209
The Economic Environment of Politics......Page 211
The Sociological Setting of Politics......Page 215
The Scientific and Technological Environment of Politics......Page 221
The Historical Setting of Politics......Page 226
The Cultural Universe We Have Created......Page 230
The Culture of Enlightenment......Page 231
Striking a Cultural Balance......Page 233
Conclusion......Page 235
Suggested Readings......Page 236
Glossary Terms......Page 238
PART II • POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY AND IDEOLOGY......Page 241
Chapter 5 • The Quest for the Good Political Life......Page 243
Classical Greek Thought: The Search for Political Excellence......Page 245
Plato: Justice as the Harmony of Classes and Rule by Philosopher-Kings......Page 246
Aristotle: Constitutional Government and Rule by the Middle Class......Page 248
Christianity and the Good Political Life......Page 250
Augustine: Incomplete Worldly Peace, Order, and Justice......Page 252
Thomas Aquinas: Constitution, Law, Common Good, and Reason......Page 255
The Renaissance: Niccolo Machiavelli and the Quest for a Virtuous Republic......Page 258
Modern Political Thought......Page 261
Thomas Hobbes: The Need for Supreme Sovereign Leader......Page 263
John Locke: Popular, Limited, Responsible, Representative Government......Page 267
Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Popular Sovereignty Through the General Will......Page 270
Edmund Burke: Prescriptive Constitutional Government......Page 272
Mary Wollstonecraft: Feminism, Education, and the Rights of Women......Page 275
John Stuart Mill: Utilitarianism and Liberty......Page 278
Karl Marx: Universal Human Emancipation via Communism......Page 282
Contemporary Political Philosophy......Page 284
Conclusion......Page 286
Suggested Readings......Page 287
Glossary Terms......Page 289
Chapter 6 • Liberal Democracy......Page 292
Toward a Definition of Liberal Democracy......Page 295
The Ideals of Liberal Democracy......Page 298
Operative Ideals......Page 299
The Sources of Liberal Democracy......Page 305
Liberalism, Capitalism, and Democracy......Page 309
The Changing Character of Liberalism......Page 311
The Changing Character of Democracy......Page 314
Variations on the Liberal Democratic Theme......Page 316
American Conservatives......Page 318
An Assessment of Liberal Democracy......Page 321
The Defense of Liberal Democracy......Page 322
A Contemporary Challenge to Liberal Democracy: Security Versus Liberty......Page 324
The Attack on Liberal Democracy: Left and Right......Page 327
The Case of Conservatism Reconsidered......Page 331
Conclusion......Page 335
Suggested Readings......Page 336
Glossary Terms......Page 339
Chapter 7 • Democratic Socialism and Communism: Ideologies of the Left......Page 342
Democratic Socialism......Page 346
Toward a Definition of Democratic Socialism......Page 347
The Ideals of Democratic Socialism......Page 348
The Sources of Democratic Socialism......Page 350
Religious Roots......Page 352
Utopian Rots......Page 354
Marxist Roots......Page 356
Revisionist Roots......Page 357
Fabian Roots......Page 359
Trade Union Roots......Page 360
Reformist Roots......Page 361
Democratic Socialism as Political Ideology: Pro and Con......Page 362
Criticism of Democratic Socialism......Page 363
The Defense of Democratic Socialism......Page 364
Communism......Page 365
Toward a Definition of Communism......Page 366
The Ideals of Communism......Page 367
Karl Marx: Master Theoretician......Page 371
V. I. Lenin: Master Revolutionary Strategist and Tactician......Page 374
Joseph Stalin: Master Builder of Soviet Power......Page 377
Mao Zedong: Founder of Chinese Communism......Page 379
Communism as a Political Ideology and Philosophy: Pro and Con......Page 381
Criticism of Communism......Page 382
The Defense of Communism......Page 385
The Recent Past and Future of Democratic Socialism and Communism......Page 387
Democratic Socialism......Page 388
Communism: A History......Page 390
Suggested Readings......Page 393
Glossary Terms......Page 396
PART III • AMERICAN, COMPARATIVE, AND WORLD POLITICS......Page 400
Chapter 8 • Key Dilemmas: Political Form, Culture, and Values......Page 401
Some Key Terms Defined......Page 402
Patterns for Cooperation, Accommodation, and Conflict Resolution......Page 407
Democratic Constitutionalism......Page 410
Political Culture and the Framing of Politics......Page 411
Why Is Political Culture Important?......Page 413
Agreement on the Fundamentals of Political Culture......Page 416
Constitutional Features......Page 419
Limited or Unlimited Government......Page 420
Representative Government or Direct Democracy......Page 421
Separation or Connection of Powers......Page 423
Federalism or Unitary Government......Page 426
Majority Rule......Page 429
The Values of Nations as Political Actors......Page 432
Security and Peace......Page 434
Liberty, Human Rights, and Democracy......Page 438
Justice, Equality, and Liberty......Page 451
Welfare and Economic Well-Being......Page 455
Popular Values......Page 456
Suggested Readings......Page 465
Glossary Terms......Page 468
Chapter 9 • American Politics and Government......Page 472
American Political Culture......Page 474
American Political Culture and the Factors That Shaped It......Page 476
American Political Institutions......Page 482
Legislatures......Page 484
Executives......Page 488
Bureaucracies......Page 504
The Courts......Page 506
Beyond the Constitution: Citizens, Media, Parties, and Elections......Page 512
Citizens......Page 513
Interest Groups......Page 514
Political Parties and Elections......Page 517
The Media......Page 524
Suggested Readings......Page 527
Glossary Terms......Page 529
Chapter 10 • Comparative Politics......Page 533
Parliamentary Government......Page 537
The Case of Great Britain......Page 539
Authoritarian Government......Page 547
The Case of Nazi Germany......Page 553
Mixed Political Systems......Page 558
The Case of Communist China......Page 559
Failed or Fragile States......Page 564
The Cases of Afghanistan and Somalia......Page 565
Suggested Readings......Page 570
Glossary Terms......Page 573
Chapter 11 • International Politics and the Global Community......Page 576
Post–World War II and Post–Cold War Challenges......Page 578
Current Patterns in International Politics......Page 581
The Standard of National Interest......Page 582
The Primary Role of Power......Page 584
Balance of Power......Page 586
The Cold War Balance of Power......Page 588
Assessing the Cold War......Page 590
The Costs and Aftermath of the Cold War......Page 593
Domination......Page 595
Multilateralism......Page 598
The United Nations in Theory and Practice......Page 600
Regional Integration......Page 615
Globalization......Page 619
Other Forms of Behavior: Neutrality, Nonalignment, and Isolation......Page 622
Nongovernmental Organizations......Page 623
Terrorist Organizations......Page 626
The Case of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria......Page 627
Multinational Corporations......Page 628
Conclusion......Page 630
Suggested Readings......Page 632
Glossary Terms......Page 633
PART IV • POLITICAL JUDGMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY......Page 637
Chapter 12 • War and Peace in the Modern Age......Page 639
Ethical and Empirical Factors......Page 642
The Mortal Threat of Nuclear War......Page 643
The Consequences of Conventional Wars......Page 646
The Burden of Arms Expenditures......Page 652
The Dangers of the Sovereign Nation-State System......Page 655
The Battle Against Terrorism......Page 657
Cyberwar......Page 659
A New Balance of Power......Page 661
The United Nations’ Third-Party Activities......Page 665
Collective Security......Page 669
Global Economic Integration......Page 671
Peace Through Functionalism......Page 673
Nonviolent Civil Defense......Page 678
Suggested Readings......Page 682
Glossary Terms......Page 685
Chapter 13 • The Battle on Behalf of Human Rights......Page 691
Clarifying the Problem......Page 693
Ethical and Empirical Factors......Page 697
Genocide......Page 699
The Persistence of Racism......Page 705
Left-Wing and Right-Wing Violations......Page 708
Offenses Against Women......Page 714
Alternative Approaches to Securing Human Rights......Page 716
Efforts of Powerful States......Page 718
The United Nations......Page 725
Nongovernmental Organizations......Page 733
Efforts of the Least Free......Page 736
Suggested Readings......Page 741
Glossary Terms......Page 744
Chapter 14 • The Struggle for Economic Well-Being......Page 750
Defining Economic Well-Being......Page 753
Ethical and Empirical Factors......Page 755
The Persistence of Poverty......Page 756
The Causes and Consequences of Poverty......Page 763
The Question of Economic Inequality......Page 765
The Calculus of Costs and Benefits......Page 767
Alternative Approaches to Economic Well-Being......Page 768
Liberal Capitalism and Liberal Democracy......Page 769
Egalitarian Communism......Page 774
Illiberal Capitalism and Right-Wing Authoritarianism......Page 780
Democratic Socialism......Page 783
The Critical Role of the International Community......Page 786
International Organizations......Page 787
Nongovernmental Organizations......Page 791
State-Based Foreign Aid Programs......Page 792
Conclusion......Page 794
Suggested Readings......Page 795
Glossary Terms......Page 797
Chapter 15 • The Imperative of Ecological Health......Page 802
Depletion of the Ozone Layer......Page 805
Global Warming......Page 809
Pollution......Page 812
Depletion of Valuable Resources......Page 815
Climate Change, Scarce Resources, and Armed Conflict......Page 818
The Danger of Population Imbalance......Page 820
The Challenges of Ecological Politics......Page 822
Alternative Approaches to Ecological Health......Page 824
Liberal Conservation......Page 825
Guarded Optimism and Economic Growth......Page 828
A Sustainable Development Model......Page 833
A Steady-State Philosophy......Page 838
Benevolent Authoritarianism......Page 842
Conclusion......Page 844
Suggested Readings......Page 845
Glossary Terms......Page 846
Conclusion......Page 852
A Best-Case Scenario......Page 855
A Worst-Case Scenario......Page 857
A Prophetic Planetary Scenario......Page 860
Suggested Readings......Page 861
Glossary......Page 863
Photo Credits......Page 890
Index......Page 906