Book Description
The Seventh Edition of The Challenge of Democracy maintains the framework that explores two themes: freedom, order, and equality as political values; and the majoritarianism vs. pluralism debate, but also examines the impact that globalization has on the American political system. In the Post 9/11 Update, the authors examine the September 11 attacks and their impact on American politics. These updates will reflect the thematic framework of the text and be integrated throughout this updated version. In-text icons integrate the Real Deal UpGrade CD-ROM with the text and internet exercises.
- Politics in a Changing World boxed features appear in every other chapter and highlight how American politics affect the world and how the world's politics affect the United States.
- Can You Explain Why? features challenge students to use critical-thinking skills to explain a political paradox.
- Politics in a Changing America features highlight changes in the political opportunity and participation of minority groups.
- Compared with What boxes ask students to evaluate facets of the American political system in relation to those of other countries.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent 101 Survey.......2002-08-03
This is an excellent 'first look' deeper into American politics, and should be required reading for Poli Sci 101 classes. What separates 'Challenge of Democracy' from most other 'beginner's' political science books is its unabashed but un-partisianed look at the workings of the Amnerican political system from the inside out and the outside in. The title alone suggests that Democracy is not a one way street from the Hill down, but something which needs to be constantly nurtured and protected from going astray. The 'challenge' is also in using our political system as a tool to maintain our freedoms and as a vehicle for change to enable us more freedoms and at the same time greater security. In short, 'The Challenge of Democracy' will get one thinking deeper about the inner-workings and dynamics of the American political system by focusing on a broader spectrum of its use, abuse, and everyday applications.
Guide to American Government.......2002-06-08
I read this book in my government class at Bakersfield College. This book is an excellent place to start for anyone who is interested in learning about how our government works, but are unsure of where to start. This book breaks down the workings of our governement in clear and easy to read chapters. I highly recommed this book to everyone who cares about America and wants to understand what goes on in Washington D.C., and in other parts of America as well.
Not very much.......1999-11-27
This book helps us to study English at our University. We learn how the justce is administered in USA from "The Challenge of Democracy." It`s a little bit boring, but on the other way it is very nice source of legal terms
Book Description
William Hudson's critical and provocative text urges students not just to think about how American democracy functions, but also to examine why American democracy has become what it is today. Hudson identifies eight major challenges to the strength of the political system, directly laying out the ways in which these developments erode the very foundations of American democracy: Does judicial activism eliminate the voice of the people in American policymaking? To what extent should Americans sacrifice their civil liberties in the interest of national security? Does the "American Dream" still exist given the degree of inequality in the United States?
Ever challenging students' apathy or antipathy of politics, Hudson provides critical, but balanced recommendations for reform, while emphasizing that the strength of the U.S. political system rests on the ability to respond successfully to these pressing issues. Important new coverage in this fifth edition includes:
- The disparity between low- and high-income residents of the Gulf Coast that was thrown into vivid relief after Hurricane Katrina, revealing deeply embedded social, economic, and political inequality in the United States.
- Judicial appointment politics that allow the president to promote ideological values in an undemocratic manner.
- Stunted "sound bite" media coverage and candidate-centered campaigning that discourage Americans from deliberating and exercising their voices on national policy concerns.
- The Bush administration's approaches to fighting terror and upholding democracy in the world that may, in fact, jeopardize democratic values.
Customer Reviews:
Misleading Propaganda.......2006-12-23
This book is well written -- it is easy to read and in many senses incredibly engaging. The book is well organized, argued, and paced to fit the interested college reader.
It in unfortunate, then, that the entire premise of the book is misleading, and that the arguments are appallingly and unblinkingly one-sided. The title, American Democracy in Peril, should immediately hint at a major problem: Though working on many principles of democracy, America is not and has never been a true and direct democracy, nor was it ever meant to be. Hudson ignores this simple fact available in any grade school Social Studies textbook to make his point.
Hudson's points are, as well, virtually entirely one sided. All but a few of his arguments are completely liberal, and some, especially the section on Radical Individualism, are communist. Such a position would be all fine and good if Hudson ever acknowledged that the other side might have a few good arguments. Instead, Hudson mercilessly attacks conservative and (especially) libertarian viewpoints, in many cases arguing for the case of argument, even when the other case does have merit.
Such a book would be fine for personal reading -- the Republicans and Libertarians have sold millions of copies of similar books -- but being as it is a textbook, such flaws are inexcusable. To present undergraduate students with a work that is written using specific knowledge and layers of defensive argumentation, especially when presented as background material or well-grounded scholarly opinions is dangerously pushing open minds into a corner where they are not permitted to be open, but rather constrained to one viewpoint that does not even begin to acknowledge any others.
In sum, William Hudson's American Democracy in Peril is, though well written, a non-scholarly, one-sided, often hostile work that should be viewed as one-side of the argument, and not the entire argument itself.
Well thought out and persuasive.......2006-01-03
I am a college student at Temple University and I had to read this book for my political science class. I thought this book was very well thought out and persuasive. In the book, Hudson explains eight reasons why America falls short of being a true democracy.
I learned very much from this book and I suggest it to somebody who wants to learn about the United States' democratic system and how it could work better!
Book Description
Social Democracy in the Global Periphery focuses on social-democratic regimes in the developing world that have, to varying degrees, reconciled the needs of achieving growth through globalized markets with extensions of political, social and economic rights. The authors show that opportunities exist to achieve significant social progress, despite a global economic order that favours core industrial countries. Their findings derive from a comparative analysis of four exemplary cases: Kerala (India), Costa Rica, Mauritius and Chile (since 1990). Though unusual, the social and political conditions from which these developing-world social democracies arose are not unique; indeed, pragmatic and proactive social-democratic movements helped create these favourable conditions. The four exemplars have preserved or even improved their social achievements since neoliberalism emerged hegemonic in the 1980s. This demonstrates that certain social-democratic policies and practices - guided by a democratic developmental state - can enhance a national economy's global competitiveness.
Book Description
Coining the term anglosphere to describe a loose coalition based on a common language and heritage, James C. Bennett believes that traits common to America and other English-speaking nations--a particularly strong and independent civil society; openness and receptivity to the world, its people, and ideas; and a dynamic economy--have uniquely positioned them to prosper in a time of dramatic technological and scientific change. In a wide-ranging exploration back to the Industrial Revolution and into the future, The Anglosphere Challenge gives voice to a growing movement on both sides of the Atlantic.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating ideas about history and the future.......2005-10-27
James C. Bennett explores some reasons for why English speaking names with an English heritage have done so well over the last couple centuries, and why they will continue to do well. The author points out that history is a pretty good indicator of the future. If we can understand why certain cultures have been successful, we may be able to understand which cultures will do well in the future.
This book is full of interesting ideas and observations. One of them is there are two types of problems, bounded and unbounded. Bounded problems have clear answers. A simple bounded problem is what is "2 + 2" with a clear answer of four. There are more complex bounded problems, like how much fuel with a 747 use carrying 187 people from Chicago to Atlanta. The problem is well defined, and the issues are all pretty much all known. Unbounded problems do not have clear definitions, let alone clear answers, at least in the beginning. Which video format is going to dominate, VHS or Beta? Who is going to win the next presidential election? What recent technological developments will become important in the future? This reminded me of "The Wisdom of Crowds" by James Surowiecki. James Surowiecki says that under certain situations a large group of people can make better decisions than a few experts. James Bennett points out that often the private sector does a much better job of dealing with unbounded problems, and that the culture of the Anglosphere tends to promote private sector solutions.
Another interesting idea builds on the economic principle that specialization with trade allows greater economic development. If an individual had to depend on everything he produced he would have to be a subsistence farmer and/or hunter. But as families, communities, cities, and nations develop, along with the ability to trade with others, people can increase their productiveness by focusing on specific areas of interest or expertise. Adam Smith used showed the value of this when talking about a group of manufactures who each focused on a single step in the production of sewing needles. James Bennett says that by increasing the level of trade and trust to include other nations, there can be greater economic growth. Those nations in the Anglosphere have an easier time trading with each other, which allows even more specialization. It is hard to trade with those who you don't trust, or those who have different cultural expectations. So the Anglosphere has a great advantage in having a large network to work with.
The book explores the idea of separating physical space, from transportation space, and from communication space. We measure the physical space in miles. But transportation space is largely influenced by how easy it is to move from one place to another. Historically moving by ships over rivers and the ocean was much cheaper than traveling by land. Communication space really started to become its own space with the development of the telegraph, and exploded with the development of the internet. Now it is almost as easy to communicate with someone anywhere in the world, as it is to talk with your neighbor.
James Bennett says that in general those with an English Heritage, or who are largely influenced by Anglo ideas, are more flexible and will be able to react quicker than European Nations, Japan, China, India, and so on. They have a greater ability to trust each other, and take initiative on a personal level. His sees the development of organizations which support each other that transcend national boundaries. There are a number of libertarian ideas here.
If you are into books which explore the big picture and deal with new and fascinating ideas, this is a good book to read. I don't think everything James Bennett talks about here will happen, but he does provide some interesting insights into what may happen over the next fifty years. This is not a quick read. This book is meant to be read slowly and thoughtfully, and pondered over time. This book is well worth reading
Bennett triumphs.......2005-02-04
Despite the naysayers, Bennett has been proven right by the recent behaviour of the Anglosphere in two major events. First in the Iraq war most of the Anglosphere banded together to get rid of a vicious genocidal tyrant, while more recent events showed how the Anglosphere could band together to help a region in dire need of aide. Much like Clash of Civilisations, Bennett has written a book that will be refered in positive terms for many years to come.
A New Way to Look at Canada and the World.......2004-11-16
Any serious discussion of the central role of English traditions in Canada is fraught with twin perils: mindless claims of racism/imperialism and founding-nation chauvinism. The Anglosphere Challenge is something very different. It's an exciting exploration of a new way to look a modern global culture and its Canadian flavour, keeping both perils at bay. Leading off with a chapter on the dynamic and converging nature of modern technology (cf. Vernor Vinge's The Singularity), the author makes the case that cultural dynamism and flexibility will be at a premium in the 21st century. His claim for the future pre-eminence of the common law countries (irrespective of their citizens' personal origins) is based on the Anglosphere's history of adapting successfully (and first) to technological and political change.
Bennett shows how respect for the individual, and the effective separation of religious, political and economic powers have a very deep roots in the English-speaking world. Before the creation of Canada and the United States. Before the English Civil War. Before the Protestant Reformation. Perhaps even before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. In the roots of the English common law, we can find the fundamental principle of equal treatment before the law: male or female, lord or commoner. A virtuous circle ensued, freeing individuals from the constraints and predation of the powerful ... in ways impossible in continental Europe let alone other parts of the globe.The history (as opposed to the myths) of this era are eye-opening. And the great strength of the Anglosphere Challenge is the firm grounding in modern scholarship. The book's annotated bibliography is a gem.
Using the metaphor of concentric rings, Bennett sees the Anglosphere as an inner ring (the industrialized common law countries), an outer ring of countries strongly influenced by English language and law, and finally, a periphery of countries exposed to the language and law indirectly, through the international institutions (in trade and politics). A second major contribution is Bennett's outline of the "cultural nations" of the Anglosphere. These "cultural nations," often identified in the turmoil of 17th and 18th century England, cross modern national borders. They provide a more effective tool for understanding the politics and behaviour of modern Anglosphere countries. Finally, Bennett offers the term "network commonwealth" to describe the economic, social, and intellectual connections between Anglosphere nations that will largely overtake (but not replace) the current sovereign nations. Anglosphere nations like Canada, especially in the Internet era, will find themselves quickly and easily co-operating to handle the innovations and challenges of the 21st century.
Canadians will find their past, present and future discussed in the chapters of this book. Our lives have been profoundly affected by the two titans of the English-speaking world, the UK and US. Bennett provides a cultural context for this influence that readers from this country will find fascinating. A book that will make you think. A companion website offers sneak peek at the book plus updates on concepts and sources: anglospherechallenge.com.
Janus-Faced Book Studies the Past to Illuminate the Future.......2004-11-16
James Bennett popularized the term "Anglosphere", which refers to those communities which speak English and share in the cultural practices and institutions inherited from England, e.g. common law, parliamentary democracy, highly developed civil society, private rather than communal notions of property, entrepreneurial rather than state-led economic development, relative openness to innovation and to immigration. These characteristics have been developing in the English-speaking world for at least a millennium, and represent a distinct sub-civilization within the larger West. Bennett draws on the work of Alan MacFarlane and David Hackett Fischer to demonstrate the uniqueness of the civilization which developed in England and which it in turn passed on to its daughter polities, most importantly the United States. This Anglosphere civilization has been the path-breaker for modernity, initiating modern democratic institutions and the industrial and subsequent economic revolutions. Note that Bennett does not offer this analysis in any spirit of triumphalism. This is not the old "Whig theory" of history, since Bennett correctly sees that these developments were the result of fortunate historical contingency. Bluntly, those of us who live in the Anglosphere are not better than anybody else, just lucky to be here. Bennett predicts that the Anglosphere will continue to be the cutting edge civilization in terms of economic and political developments into the future. In particular, the existence of the Web and cheap air and sea transport has already created a unitary Anglophone economic and cultural space, which will develop further as the highest value-added products become increasingly information-intensive, placing a premium on linguistic and cultural commonalities. Bennett offers predictions concerning the institutional form that this new economic reality will call forth, which he labels a "network commonwealth". Bennett believes that this future political form, and a dense and robust underlying civil society, present the best hope for coping with the hazards presented by emerging technology, and obtaining the maximum benefits of that technology. Moreover, Bennett offers numerous, concrete policy proposals to further the development of this emerging Anglosphere network commonwealth, in the areas of trade, immigration, defense procurement and military cooperation. Bennett's book is the result of years of reflection on these historical and contemporary issues. This short paragraph does not even scratch the surface of a book that has many novel insights and profound ideas, and which opens up numerous lines for further inquiry. Five stars is really not a sufficient rating. This is one of the three or four most important books I have read in recent years to understand the world we are living in, why it is the way it is, where we are going, and how we can create a future worth living in.
A profound work.......2004-10-17
For more than two decades, Jim Bennett has been one of the country's most acute thinkers on the frontiers of technology and cultural/political trends. The Anglosphere Challenge shows the strengths of civil society responses to growing state incapacities and failures. Emerging "networked commonwealths", he foresees, will advance universal values of freedom while accelerating innovation across new realms of human endeavor. This book is a storehouse of wisdom and hope for not only for those in the Anglosphere, but for people of all heritages and backgrounds seeking to live in an open world.
Book Description
Americans have an unwavering faith in democracy and are ever eager to import it to nations around the world. But how democratic is our own "democracy"? If you can vote, if the majority rules, if you have elected representatives--does this automatically mean that you have a democracy? In this eye-opening look at an ideal that we all take for granted, classical scholar Paul Woodruff offers some surprising answers to these questions. Drawing on classical literature, philosophy, and history--with many intriguing passages from Sophocles, Aesop, and Plato, among others--Woodruff immerses us in the world of ancient Athens to uncover how the democratic impulse first came to life. The heart of the book isolates seven conditions that are the sine qua non of democracy: freedom from tyranny , harmony, the rule of law, natural equality, citizen wisdom, reasoning without knowledge, and general education. He concludes that a true democracy must be willing to invite everyone to join in government. It must respect the rule of law so strongly that even the government is not above the law. True democracy must be mature enough to accept changes that come from the people. And it must be willing to pay the price of education for thoughtful citizenship. If we learn anything from the story of Athens, Woodruff concludes, it should be this--never lose sight of the ideals of democracy. This compact, eloquent book illuminates these ideals and lights the way as we struggle to keep democracy alive at home and around the world.
Customer Reviews:
In depth loook into ancient (1st) Democracy.......2007-03-10
Woodruff's work is excellent, pulling together the culture and society of Ancient Greece to examine the motivations, methods and incidents affecting early democracy. His seven attributes of Democracy, Freedom from Tyranny, Harmony, Rule of Law, Natural Equality, Citizen Wisdom, Reasoning without Knowledge and Education are well thought out and presented using the historical content as vivid examples to help the reader. While I beleive his arguement for Natural Equality is not strong in the context of the ancient greeks, the compilation of these ideas and how they can relate to modern democracies are important issues that should be delt with in both academia and the legislature.
A provocative presentation of the democratic "sine qua non".......2006-10-07
First Democracy: The Challenge Of An Ancient Idea by Paul Woodruff (Darrel K. Royal Professor in Ethics and American Society and Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Philosophy, The University of Texas at Austin) is an engaging and descriptive analysis of democratic national empowerment, providing a conclusive grasp of what democracy really is (or was), in an extensive study of the Greek city of Athens from which the democratic idea of a governmental system originated. First Democracy provides readers with an understanding of the barriers preventing contemporary America in the opening decade of the 21st century from being a true democracy, as well as offering readers a provocative presentation of the democratic "sine qua non": freedom from tyranny, social harmony, the rule of law, natural equality, citizen wisdom, reasoning without knowledge, and general education. A highly portable paperback that can be taken (and read) anywhere, First Democracy is very strongly recommended to all students of philosophy, political science, and the ancient Greece city state of Athens.
A "must have" for everybody.......2005-08-22
Rarely have I read a more clearly expressed definition of democracy and how the USA is not one. I am going to give this book to a lot of people to make them think. It would be a book for all high schools and colleges everywhere because it raises healthy questions about government and power. Even though the topic is a complex one the author has produced a wonderful and readable essay. Philosophy is not yet dead. Hurrah!!!
First Democracy.......2005-08-17
An overview of what democracy really is, where and how it started, why the US is NOT a democracy and what we can do about it. Easy and excellent read. Our legislators need this book!
Average customer rating:
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Local Governance in Africa: The Challenges of Democratic Decentralization
Dele Olowu , and
James S. Wunsch
Manufacturer: Lynne Rienner Publishers
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Democracy
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| Perspectives on Law
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ASIN: 1588261735 |
Customer Reviews:
An Easy Read .......2006-04-04
I used this textbook for an Introduction to American Government class at college. Frankly, I found the book almost simplistic at points but it was always very clear and concise. I would definately recommend this text for anyone who is looking for a comprehensive, yet readable guide to US Gov. Plus, it is so often updated with new editions that it makes for vert relevant reading. Highly recommended.
Great book despite hating government.......2005-08-13
I have never read an entire textbook in my life. This was the first, and it actually kept my attention for the most part. At times it gets boring but hey its the basics of government you can't expect excitement all the time. There are plenty of examples of the various definitions given with very recent applications. Examples make it easier rather than just spitting out the definition and leaving the reader to interpret. I am an engineering major that needed a government class to graduate and I am glad this was the book I had b/c I hate government/history.
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- The Constitution in Exile: How the Federal Government Has Seized Power by Rewriting the Supreme Law of the Land
- The Dream and the Nightmare: The Sixties' Legacy to the Underclass
- The European Economy since 1945: Coordinated Capitalism and Beyond (Princeton Economic History of the Western World)
- The European Economy since 1945: Coordinated Capitalism and Beyond (Princeton Economic History of the Western World)
- The Great Betrayal: The Memoirs of Ian Douglas Smith
- The Language of Empire: Abu Ghraib and the American Media
- The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah's Book Club)
- The Movie Business: The Definitive Guide to the Legal and Financial Secrets of Getting Your Movie Made
- The New American Story
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