This is a comparative, conceptual introduction to political science, organized topically rather than country-by-country, providing in-depth examples at the end of most chapters to provide greater richness about various countries than a topical treatment would normally provide. The theme of 'power and choice,' based on a definition of politics as the making of collective choices for a group or state through the use of power, runs through much of the text.

Table of Contents:
Part One: The Idea of Politics Chapter 1. Politics: Setting the Stage Politics Politics as the Making of Common Decisions Politics as the Exercise of Power Politics as the Exercise of Choice Power and Choice Politics of the State Political Science The Pleasures of Politics Chapter 2. Modern Ideologies and Political Philosophy American Ideologies Liberalism The Conservative Reaction The Socialist Alternative Communism and Socialism Fascism Ideologies in the Twenty-first Century Religion, Politics, and Political Philosophy Political Philosophy in Other Historical Eras Part Two: The State and Public Policy Chapter 3. The Modern State The Development of the Modern State The Origin of States: Power or Choice? The State as a Device to Provide Public Goods "State," "Nation," and the "Nation-State" State-Building Government and the State Challenges to the State Some Possible Alternatives Example: State Building in Nigeria Example: State Building in the European Union Chapter 4. Policies of the State The Role of Government in the Third World Constraints and Conditions for Policy Defense Policy Education Research and Development Health and Social Welfare Democracy and Public Policy The Place of Power in Policy Analysis Example: The Demographic Challenge Example: Economic Development Compared with "Human Development" Example: Uganda: An African AIDS Success Story Chapter 5. Economic Policy of the State Economic Performance 1: Growth Economic Performance 2: Controlling Inflation and Unemployment Managing Distribution to Address inequality Independent Central Banks Corruption Other Measures Available to Government Globalization: Are States Losing their Ability to Make Economic Policy? Political Economy Example: Economic Policy in Germany Example: Economic Policy in Indonesia Chapter 6. What Lies Behind Policy: Questions of Justice and Efficiency The Problem of Justice Other Aspects of Justice: Procedural Justice Effectiveness A Basic Question of Effectiveness: Authority Versus the Market The Need to Act, Even Under Uncertainty Example: Political Choice Part Three: The Citizen and the Regime Chapter 7. Democracy and Autocracy Democracy The Coming and Going of Democracy Possible Explanations What Did We Learn From the Third Wave? Why Are Prosperous Countries Likely to Be Democracies? Democracy and Freedom Democracy and Capitalism Autocracy Military Government Why Aren't There More Military Governments? One-Party States Monarchies and Theocracies Democracy Versus Autocracy: Material Considerations "Power and Choice" Again Example: Democratization in Spain Example: Fragile Democracy in Peru Example: Theocracy in Iran Chapter 8. How Individuals Relate to the State, and the State to the Individual Legitimacy and Authority Sources of Legitimacy The "Democratic Citizen" How Well are These Requirements Met? Social Capital Political Culture An Application of Political Culture: Robert Kagan's Of Paradise and Power Religion and Politics Political Socialization Example: Building Authority and Legitimacy in West Germany After World War II Example: Declining Democratic legitimacy in the United States Part Four: The Apparatus of Governance Chapter 9. Constitutions and the Design of Government Variations in Formality The Virtue of Vagueness Other Principles of Constitutional Design Constitution-Writing The Geographic Concentration of Power "Federal" and "Unitary" States The Distinction Between "Unitary" and "Centralized" States How Much Centralization is Good? Constitutions and Guarantees of Rights "Constitutionalism" and the Rule of Law Example: Constitutional Government in Great Britain Example: Constitutional Government in Russia Chapter 10. Elections Elections as a Means of Building Support Elections as a Means of Selecting Leaders and Policies Electoral Systems Referendums Electoral Participation Effects of Choice and Information on Turnout The Paradox of Voting The Bases of Individuals' Electoral Choices Example: Proportional Representation Elections in Israel Example: Elections in Nigeria Chapter 11. Parties: A Linking and Leading Mechanism in Politics The Political Party Origins of the Modern Party Political Parties and the Mobilization of the Masses Political Parties and the Recruitment and Socialization of Leaders Political Parties as a Source of Political Identity Political Parties as a Channel of Control Party Organization Party Finance Political Party Systems Power and Choice Example: The Communist Party of China Example: Canada's Political Parties Chapter 12. Structured Conflict: Interest Groups and Politics Interest Groups and Representation Types of Interest Groups Tactics of Interest Groups Patterns of Organized Interest-Group Activity Pluralism Neocorporatism Pluralism and Neocorporatism: Power and Choice Example: Interest Groups in France Example: Interest Groups in Japan: Attenuated Neocorporatism Chapter 13. Social Movements and Contentious Politics Why Now? Social Movements as a Public Goods Problem Advantages (and Disadvantages) of Informal Organization Example: The Rubber Tappers of Acre Example: The "Orange Revolution" in Ukraine Chapter 14. National Decision-Making Institutions: Parliamentary Government Head of State The Cabinet Cabinet Control What Does A Parliament Do? Parliamentary Committees Advantages and Disadvantages of Parliamentary Government Let's Make Sure I Haven't Made This Sound Too Simple "Consensus" Parliamentarism Parliaments in Autocratic Systems Example: Parliamentary Government in India Example: Parliamentary Government in Germany Chapter 15. National Decision-Making Institutions: Presidential Government Presidential and Parliamentary Systems Compared Responsibility for Policy Presidential Systems and Comprehensive Policy Recruitment of Executive Leaders Review and Control of the Executive Flexibility of the Political Process The Split Executive of Parliamentary Systems Why Aren't All Democracies parliamentary Systems? Democracy and the Question of Accountability A Note on Institutions and Power Example: Presidential Hybrid in France Example: Presidential Government in Mexico Chapter 16. Bureaucracy and the Public Sector Public Administration as a Political Problem Characteristics of Good Public Administration "Bureaucracy": A Reform of the Nineteenth Century Bureaucracy Versus Flexibility The Problem of Protected Incompetence Adjustments to Bureaucracy Social Representativeness of Public Administration Example: The French Bureaucracy Example: Bureaucratic Cultures in Europe and Africa Chapter 17. Law and the Courts Anglo-Saxon Case Law Continental European Code Law The Blending of Case Law and Code Law Religious Law: The Sharia Courts Judicial Review Example: The Law in China Example: The European Court of Justice Part Five: International Politics Chapter 18. Global Politics: Politics Among States (And Others) The Evolution of the International System Since World War II The World Since the Cold War International Politics The Absence of Central Authority Fiduciary Political Roles and International Morality Impediments to Political Communication Power and International Politics The Process of International Politics Power and Choice in International Politics Example: An International Failure: Rwanda Example: The United Nations Appendix: Principles of Political Analysis Falsifiability What Makes a Statement Interesting? Causation and Explanation Historical Explanation A Few Common Pitfalls in Analysis Glossary