This introductory textbook provides the ideal basis for students coming to Politics for the first time. The book opens with thequestion 'What is Politics?' and then explores the four major 'elements' : Comparative Institutions, Political Ideologies, Public Administration and International Relations. The book has been divided into five easy-to-use sections, each with a guide to literature for further study. Each chapter ends with two essay questions, making this an ideal teaching and revision tool. Key features * Covers the core elements of a Political Science undergraduate degree * Ideal for revision of the subject: includes 50 essay questions * Offers helpful guides to the literature in each area * Written by a distinguished team of authors with many years of teaching experience
Preface vii Section One Introduction Frank Bealey Politics and political science 3(11) Power, legitimacy and authority 14(12) The state 26(13) Political regimes 39(14) Problems of modern democratic government 53(22) Bibliography 69(6) Section Two Comparative Institutions Frank Bealey The comparative approach 75(11) Constitutions 86(13) Parliaments 99(12) Governments 111(13) Political parties 124(21) Bibliography 137(8) Section Three Political Ideologies Frank Bealey The concept of ideology 145(11) Liberalism 156(13) Socialism 169(13) Conservatism 182(14) Fascism 196(23) Bibliography 209(10) Section Four Public Administration Richard A. Chapman Public Administration and public sector management 219(15) Organisation theory and bureaucracy 234(16) Personnel management and informal organisation 250(14) Decentralisation, devolution and deconcentration 264(15) Administrative reform 279(18) Bibliography 292(5) Section Five International Relations Michael Sheehan Approaches to the study of international relations 297(17) The structure of the global system 314(14) Foreign policy analysis 328(14) International security 342(14) International society 356(21) Bibliography 370(7) Index 377
Richard A Chapman is Emeritus Professor of Politics at the University of Durham.
