The political systems that have replaced communist rule in East-Central Europe and Eurasia are closely associated with their presidents. The first democratically-elected presidents of these countries - men like Yeltsin, Havel and Waesa - have frequently been viewed as 'founding fathers' of their countries' independence. But were they successful in creating strong presidential systems in these states? Has their unquestioned personal power and charisma been institutionalized in the presidencies? Will executive power in postcommunist states remain the same when the first incumbents of the office are gone? This book, first published in 1997, offers a comparative analysis of the role of presidents in postcommunist states. Comprising studies of Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakstan among former Soviet republics, and Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary among Central European states, this book will be required reading for readers interested in how political leaders affect the fate of democracy in
In this book Mary McAuley explores the political reactions of elites and society in the Russian Federation in the years following the collapse of communist party rule and the break-up of the USSR. Spanning two republics and four regions, the book offered the first in-depth study of the impact of change in the regions as well as at the centre. Using first-hand research including extensive interviews and personal observation, this book provides a study of the response of a society to the breakdown of the established political order. Mary McAuley traces Russia's search for new identities, institutions, and rules of political behaviour. Her book will appeal to students of comparative politics generally, as well as to all those interested in transition in Russia.
Henry St John, Viscount Bolingbroke, was one of the most creative political thinkers in eighteenth-century Britain. In this volume, modernised and fully annotated texts of his most important political works, the Dissertation upon Parties, the letter, 'On the Spirit of Patriotism', and The Idea of the Patriot King, are brought together for the first time. Bolingbroke was the first major thinker to face the long-term economic and political consequences of the Glorious Revolution, particularly the creation of the first modern system of party politics. In these works he attempted to forge an ideology of opposition to attack the Whig oligarchy of Sir Robert Walpole. His analyses of constitutional government and the party system are still relevant to the dilemmas of modern democratic politics, as are his recommendations for a patriotic commitment to the common good and the necessity of a non-partisan executive.
The purpose and location of frontiers affect all human societies in the contemporary world - this book offers an introduction to them and the issues they raise.
Games Real Actors Play provides a persuasive argument for the use of basic concepts of game theory in understanding public policy conflicts. With the nonspecialist in mind, the author presents a coher
For most bills in American legislatures, the issue of turf--or which committee has jurisdiction over a bill--can make all the difference. Turf governs the flow and fate of all legislation. In this inn
This book details the policy subsystems - links among members of Congress, interest groups, program beneficiaries, federal and subnational government agencies - that blanket the American political landscape. Robert Stein and Kenneth Bickers have constructed a database detailing federal outlays to Congressional districts for each federal program, and use it to examine four myths about the impact of policy subsystems on American government and democratic practice. These include the myth that policy subsystems are a major contributor to the federal deficit; that once created, federal programs grow inexorably and rarely die; that to garner support for their programs, subsystem actors seek to universalize the geographic scope of program benefits; and that the flow of program benefits to constituencies in congressional districts ensures the re-election of legislators.
"Stephen Van Evera's Guide to Methods makes an important contribution toward improving the use of case studies for theory development and testing in the social sciences. His trenchant and concise view
How did the U.S. establish its dominant role in international relations in the second half of the twentieth century? What central ideas, policies, and methods shaped the Cold War international order?
In what ways is the concept of sovereignty changing today? Where is this change leading us - toward further international integration or toward greater subnational fragmentation? What will be the impl
For years the United States has treated the United Nations as an extension of its own foreign policy, while other member states--especially smaller, less influential countries--have looked to the Unit
In periods of rapid change, social scientists are nearly as much "at sea" as anyone else. These "dead reckonings" accordingly try to chart a course through an arena where familiar landmarks are altere
Winner of the American Political Science Association's 1996 Woodrow Wilson Foundation Award.The rise of new political competitors on the radical right is a central feature of many contemporary Europe
How can democracy be improved in an age when people are profoundly disenchanted with government? Part of the answer lies in the design of public policy that unmistakably works to advance citizenship b
Thomas Jefferson's conviction that the health of the nation's democracy would depend on the existence of an informed citizenry has been a cornerstone of our political culture since the inception of th
Using the Amsterdam Municipal Orphanage as a window through which readers can see the start of profound social and economic changes in early modern Amsterdam, Civic Charity in a Go
Depicted as welfare mothers who must be compelled to get jobs, unwed teenage mothers who are breeding "illegitimacy" and employed mothers who are neglecting their children and families, women and moth
Military analyst Michael O'Hanlon shows how outside forces could successfully intervene to stop an ongoing cycle of warfare in a country whose government has collapsed or come under severe internal ch
