Table Of Contents:
Foreword v
Preface vii
About the Author x

List of Tables and Figures xvi

List of Boxed Items xvii
Introduction 1(1)

What Is Comparative Politics? 1(5)

A Different Way of Seeing the World 6(6)

The Six Arenas 12(6)

The Case Studies 18(1)

Key Terms 19(1)

Comparative Politics Online 19(2)

PART I Liberal Democracies 21(150)

Checklist: Liberal Democracies 23(2)

The Evolution of Liberal Democracy 25(5)

Close-Up View: What Is a Country? 29(1)

Liberal Democracy Today 30(2)

Key Terms 32(1)

Key People 33(1)

Study Questions 33(1)

Liberal Democracies Online 33(1)

Further Reading 33(1)

United States 34(46)

Introduction 36(10)

Political Development 38(5)

Political Debates: How Healthy Is American Democracy? 43(1)

Political Culture 44(2)

Political System 46(10)

The Constitution 47(1)

The Executive: President 48(3)

People in Politics: George W. Bush 51(1)

The Legislature: Congress 52(3)

The Judiciary: Supreme Court 55(1)

Subnational Government 55(1)

Representation and Participation 56(10)

Elections and the Electoral System 58(3)

Close-Up View: Money and Politics 61(1)

Political Parties 61(3)

Interest Groups 64(1)

The Media 65(1)

Policies and Policymaking 66(12)

Economic Policy 68(2)

Foreign Policy 70(3)

Critical Issues: The War on Terrorism 73(1)

U.S. Politics in Transition 74(1)

Key Terms 75(1)

Key People 75(1)

Study Questions 76(1)

The United States Online 76(1)

Further Reading 76(2)

Comparative Focus: Executives 78(2)

Britain 80(46)

Introduction 82(11)

Political Development 84(4)

Close-Up View: The European Union 88(3)

Political Culture 91(2)

Political System 93(11)

The Constitution 94(1)

The Monarchy 94(2)

The Executive: Prime Minister and Cabinet 96(2)

People in Politics: Tony Blair 98(1)

The Legislature: Parliament 99(4)

The Judiciary 103(1)

Subnational Government 103(1)

Representation and Participation 104(9)

Elections and the Electoral System 104(2)

Political Debates: How United Is the Kingdom? 106(1)

Political Parties 107(4)

Interest Groups 111(1)

The Media 112(1)

Policies and Policymaking 113(13)

Economic Policy 114(3)

Critical Issues: The Welfare State 117(1)

Foreign Policy 118(3)

British Politics in Transition 121(1)

Key Terms 121(1)

Key People 122(1)

Study Questions 122(1)

Britain Online 122(1)

Further Reading 123(1)

Comparative Focus: Heads of State 124(2)

Japan 126(45)

Introduction 128(11)

Political Development 130(6)

Political Culture 136(1)

Critical Issues: Women in Politics 137(2)

Political System 139(10)

The Constitution 140(1)

The Emperor 140(1)

The Executive: Prime Minister and Cabinet 141(4)

People in Politics: Junichiro Koizumi 145(1)

The Legislature: Diet 146(1)

The Judiciary: Supreme Court 147(1)

Subnational Government 148(1)

Representation and Participation 149(9)

Elections and the Electoral System 150(1)

Political Parties 151(4)

Close-Up View: Factionalism in Japanese Politics 155(1)

Interest Groups 156(1)

The Media 157(1)

Policies and Policymaking 158(13)

Economic Policy 159(4)

Political Debates: Can Japan Change Its Ways? 163(1)

Foreign Policy 163(3)

Japanese Politics in Transition 166(1)

Key Terms 166(1)

Key People 166(1)

Study Questions 166(1)

Japan Online 167(1)

Further Reading 167(1)

Comparative Focus: Legislatures 168(3)

Part II Communist and Postcommunist Countries 171(104)

Checklist: Communist and Postcommunist Countries 173(3)

The Evolution of Socialism and Communism 176(5)

People in History: Marx and Lenin 177(4)

Communism Today 181(3)

Key Terms 182(1)

Key People 183(1)

Study Questions 183(1)

Communism and Socialism Online 183(1)

Further Reading 183(1)

Russia 184(46)

Introduction 186(11)

Political Development 188(3)

People in History: Joseph Stalin 191(4)

Political Culture 195(2)

Political System 197(11)

The Constitution 198(1)

The Executive: President and Prime Minister 199(3)

People in Politics: Vladimir Putin 202(2)

The Legislature: Federal Assembly 204(2)

The Judiciary: Constitutional Court 206(1)

Subnational Government 207(1)

Representation and Participation 208(9)

Elections and the Electoral System 208(3)

Political Parties 211(3)

Political Debates: Are the Oligarchs Too Powerful? 214(2)

Interest Groups 216(1)

The Media 216(1)

Policies and Policymaking 217(13)

Economic Policy 218(4)

Critical Issues: The Chechnyan Problem 222(1)

Foreign Policy 223(2)

Russian Politics in Transition 225(1)

Key Terms 226(1)

Key People 226(1)

Study Questions 226(1)

Russia Online 226(1)

Further Reading 227(1)

Comparative Focus: Electoral Systems 228(2)

China 230(45)

Introduction 232(10)

Political Development 234(5)

People in History: Mao Zedong 239(2)

Political Culture 241(1)

Political System 242(11)

The Constitution 243(2)

The Executive: State Council 245(1)

The Legislature: National People's Congress 246(1)

People in Politics: Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao 247(3)

The Judiciary: Supreme People's Court 250(1)

Subnational Government 251(1)

The People's Liberation Army 252(1)

Representation and Participation 253(8)

Elections and the Electoral System 253(1)

Political Parties 254(3)

Political Leadership 257(1)

Close-Up View: The Falun Gong: A Threat to the Party? 258(1)

Mass Organizations 259(1)

The Media 260(1)

Policies and Policymaking 261(14)

Economic Policy 262(3)

Foreign Policy 265(2)

Political Debates: One China or Two? 267(2)

Chinese Politics in Transition 269(1)

Key Terms 269(1)

Key People 269(1)

Study Questions 270(1)

China Online 270(1)

Further Reading 270(2)

Comparative Focus: Political Parties 272(3)

Part III Newly Industrializing Countries 275(106)

Checklist: Newly Industrializing Countries 277(4)

Critical Issues: Measuring National Wealth 281(1)

The Evolution of NICs 282(5)

Newly Industrializing Countries Today 287(3)

Key Terms 288(1)

Study Questions 288(1)

NICs Online 288(1)

Further Reading 289(1)

Mexico 290(46)

Introduction 292(11)

Political Development 294(5)

Close-Up View: The Rise of the Mexican Diaspora 299(2)

Political Culture 301(2)

Political System 303(10)

The Constitution 303(2)

The Executive: President 305(2)

People in Politics: Vicente Fox 307(2)

The Legislature: Congress 309(2)

The Judiciary: Supreme Court 311(1)

Subnational Government 312(1)

Representation and Participation 313(10)

Elections and the Electoral System 313(3)

Political Parties 316(3)

Political Debates: How Corrupt Is Mexico? 319(1)

Interest Groups 320(2)

The Media 322(1)

Policies and Policymaking 323(13)

Economic Policy 324(3)

Close-Up View: Mexico and Free Trade 327(1)

Foreign Policy 328(3)

Mexican Politics in Transition 331(1)

Key Terms 331(1)

Key People 331(1)

Study Questions 332(1)

Mexico Online 332(1)

Further Reading 332(2)

Comparative Focus: Constitutions 334(2)

India 336(45)

Introduction 338(10)

Political Development 340(4)

People in History: Mahatma Gandhi 344(3)

Political Culture 347(1)

Political System 348(11)

The Constitution 349(1)

The President 349(2)

The Executive: Prime Minister and Council of Ministers 351(2)

The Legislature: Parliament 353(1)

People in Politics: Atal Behari Vajpayee 354(3)

The Judiciary: Supreme Court 357(1)

Subnational Government 357(2)

Representation and Participation 359(9)

Elections and the Electoral System 359(2)

Political Parties 361(5)

Close-Up View: Parties Contesting the 1999 General Election 366(1)

Interest Groups 367(1)

The Media 367(1)

Policies and Policymaking 368(13)

Economic Policy 368(4)

Foreign Policy 372(2)

Political Debates: The Most Dangerous Place in the World? 374(2)

Indian Politics in Transition 376(1)

Key Terms 376(1)

Key People 376(1)

Study Questions 377(1)

India Online 377(1)

Further Reading 377(1)

Comparative Focus: Ideologies 378(3)

Part IV Less Developed Countries 381(62)

Checklist: Less Developed Countries 383(7)

Critical Issues: How Poor Is Poor? 390(1)

Explaining the Problems of Development 391(3)

LDCs Today 394(2)

Key Terms 395(1)

Study Questions 395(1)

LDCs Online 395(1)

Further Reading 395(1)

Nigeria 396(47)

Introduction 398(10)

Political Development 400(6)

Political Culture 406(2)

Close-Up View: Ethnicity and Politics in Nigeria 408(1)

Political System 408(11)

The Constitution 409(1)

The Executive: President 410(2)

People in Politics: Olusegun Obasanjo 412(1)

The Legislature: National Assembly 413(2)

The Judiciary: Supreme Court 415(1)

Subnational Government 415(2)

The Military 417(2)

Representation and Participation 419(10)

Elections and the Electoral System 419(1)

Political Parties 420(5)

Political Debates: How Much Is a Human Life Worth? 425(1)

Local and Traditional Politics 426(1)

Interest Groups 427(1)

The Media 428(1)

Policies and Policymaking 429(14)

Economic Policy 430(3)

Critical Issues: Oil and Nigeria 433(2)

Foreign Policy 435(2)

Nigerian Politics in Transition 437(1)

Key Terms 437(1)

Key People 438(1)

Study Questions 438(1)

Nigeria Online 438(1)

Further Reading 439(1)

Comparative Focus: Systems of Administration 440(3)

Part V Islamic Countries 443(58)

Checklist: Islamic Countries 445(4)

The Evolution of Islam 449(5)

Critical Issues: Islamism: Religion or Ideology? 453(1)

Islamic Countries Today 454(4)

Key Terms 456(1)

Key People 456(1)

Study Questions 456(1)

Islam Online 456(1)

Further Reading 457(1)

Egypt 458(43)

Introduction 460(10)

Political Development 462(4)

People in History: Gamal Abdel Nasser 466(2)

Political Culture 468(2)

Political System 470(10)

The Constitution 471(1)

The Executive: President 471(5)

People in Politics: Hosni Mubarak 476(1)

The Legislature: People's Assembly 477(2)

The Judiciary: Supreme Constitutional Court 479(1)

The Military 479(1)

Subnational Government 480(1)

Representation and Participation 480(8)

Elections and Referenda 481(1)

Political Parties 482(4)

Close-Up View: Islam and Radicalism 486(1)

Interest Groups 487(1)

The Media 488(1)

Policies and Policymaking 488(13)

Economic Policy 490(3)

Foreign Policy 493(2)

Political Debates: Can the Arabs and Israelis Live Together? 495(1)

Egyptian Politics in Transition 496(1)

Key Terms 496(1)

Key People 496(1)

Study Questions 497(1)

Egypt Online 497(1)

Further Reading 497(1)

Comparative Focus: Terms of Office 498(3)
Conclusions 501(4)
Glossary 505(8)
Acronyms 513(1)
Endnotes 514(15)
Name Index 529(4)
Subject Index 533