Principles of Comparative Politics

by William Roberts Clark, Matt Golder, Sona N. Golder

Overview

William Roberts Clark, Matt Golder, and Sona Nadenichek Golder’s groundbreaking Principles of Comparative Politics offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to comparative inquiry, research, and scholarship. In this thoroughly revised Third Edition, readers have an even better guide to cross-national comparison and why it matters. Readers are offered a new intuitive take on statistical analyses and a clearer explanation of how to interpret regression results; a thoroughly-revised chapter on culture and democracy that now includes a more extensive discussion of cultural modernization theory and a new overview of survey methods for addressing sensitive topics; and a revised chapter on dictatorships that incorporates a principal-agent framework for understanding authoritarian institutions.

Examples from the gender and politics literature have been incorporated into various chapters and empirical examples and data on various types of institutions have been updated. The book's outstanding pedagogy includes more than 250 tables and figures, numerous photos and maps, end of chapter exercises and problem sets, and a broader set of works cited.

New to this Edition

• A new intuitive take on statistical analyses and a clearer explanation of how to interpret regression results are included.
• A thoroughly-revised chapter on culture and democracy includes a more extensive discussion of cultural modernization theory and a new overview of survey methods for addressing sensitive topics.
• A revised chapter on dictatorships incorporates a principal-agent framework for understanding authoritarian institutions.
• Examples from the gender and politics literature have been incorporated into various chapters.
• Empirical examples and data on various types of institutions have been updated.
• Online videos and tutorials guide students through some of the methodological components addressed in the book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506318141
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	02/23/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	888
Sales rank:	528,771
File size:	37 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

William Roberts Clark is associate professor of political science at the University of Michigan. He is the author of Capitalism, Not Globalism, and his articles have appeared in American Political Science Review, Comparative Political Studies, Political Analysis, and European Union Politics, among other journals. He has been teaching at a wide variety of public and private schools (William Paterson College, Rutgers University, Georgia Tech, Princeton, New York University, and the University of Michigan) for over a decade.
Matt Golder was previously assistant professor of political science at Florida State University. He is the author of articles which have appeared in the American Journal of Political Science, British Journal of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, Electoral Studies, and Political Analysis among other journals. He has taught classes on comparative politics, advanced industrialized democracies, quantitative methods, and European politics at the University of Iowa, Florida State University, and the University of Essex.
Sona Nadenichek Golder was previously assistant professor of political science at Florida State University. She is the author of The Logic of Pre-Electoral Coalition Formation, and has published articles in the British Journal of Political Science, Electoral Studies, and European Union Politics. She teaches courses on European politics, democracies and dictatorships, comparative institutions, game theory, and comparative politics at Florida State University and was a Mentor-in-Residence for the 2007 Empirical Implications of Theoretical Models Summer Program at UCLA .

Table of Contents

Preface
PART I. WHAT IS COMPARATIVE POLITICS?
1. INTRODUCTION
Overview of the Book
The Approach Taken in This Book
Key Concepts
2. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
What Is Science?
The Scientific Method
An Introduction to Logic
Myths about Science
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Problems
3. WHAT IS POLITICS?
The Exit, Voice, and Loyalty Game
Solving the Exit, Voice, and Loyalty Game
Evaluating the Exit, Voice, and Loyalty Game
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Preparation for the Problems
Problems
PART II. THE MODERN STATE: DEMOCRACY OR DICTATORSHIP?
4. THE ORIGINS OF THE MODERN STATE
What Is a State?
Somalia and Syria: Two Failed States
The Contractarian View of the State
The Predatory View of the State
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Preparation for the Problems
Problems
5. DEMOCRACY AND DICTATORSHIP: CONCEPTUALIZATION AND MEASUREMENT
Democracy and Dictatorship in Historical Perspective
Classifying Democracies and Dictatorships
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Problems
6. THE ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF DEMOCRACY AND DICTATORSHIP
Classic Modernization Theory
A Variant of Modernization Theory
Some More Empirical Evidence
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Appendix: An Intuitive Take on Statistical Analyses
Problems
7. THE CULTURAL DETERMINANTS OF DEMOCRACY AND DICTATORSHIP
Classical Cultural Arguments: Mill and Montesquieu
Does Democracy Require a Civic Culture?
Religion and Democracy
Experiments and Culture
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Problems
8. DEMOCRATIC TRANSITIONS
Bottom-Up Transitions to Democracy
Top-Down Transitions to Democracy
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Problems
9. DEMOCRACY OR DICTATORSHIP: DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
The Effect of Regime Type on Economic Growth
The Effect of Regime Type on Government Performance
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Problems
PART III. VARIETIES OF DEMOCRACY AND DICTATORSHIP
10. VARIETIES OF DICTATORSHIP
A Common Typology of Authoritarian Regimes
The Two Fundamental Problems of Authoritarian Rule
Selectorate Theory
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Problems
11. PROBLEMS WITH GROUP DECISION MAKING
Problems with Group Decision Making
Arrow’s Theorem
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Appendix: Stability in Two-Dimensional Majority-Rule Voting
Problems
12. PARLIAMENTARY, PRESIDENTIAL, AND SEMI-PRESIDENTIAL DEMOCRACIES
Classifying Democracies
Making and Breaking Governments in Parliamentary Democracies
Making and Breaking Governments in Presidential Democracies
Making and Breaking Governments in Semi-Presidential Democracies
A Unifying Framework: Principal-Agent and Delegation Problems
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Problems
13. ELECTIONS AND ELECTORAL SYSTEMS
Elections and Electoral Integrity
Electoral Systems
Legislative Electoral System Choice
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Problems
14. SOCIAL CLEAVAGES AND PARTY SYSTEMS
Political Parties: What Are They, and What Do They Do?
Party Systems
Where Do Parties Come From?
Types of Parties: Social Cleavages and Political Identity Formation
Number of Parties: Duverger’s Theory
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Problems
15. INSTITUTIONAL VETO PLAYERS
Federalism
Bicameralism
Constitutionalism
Veto Players
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Problems
PART IV. VARIETIES OF DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL OUTCOMES
16. CONSEQUENCES OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS
Majoritarian or Consensus Democracy?
The Effect of Political Institutions on Fiscal Policy
Electoral Laws, Federalism, and Ethnic Conflict
Presidentialism and Democratic Survival
Conclusion
Key Concepts
Problems
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

A scientific approach to the study of comparative politics. It is a book on comparative political *science* rather than a book that simply describes politics in other countries.

Robin E. Best

This book provides an excellent introduction to the science of comparative politics. The authors have expertly crafted a thematic arrangement of topics that provides students with a cutting-edge introduction to the state of our discipline. The book really has few peers in this regard.

Christopher Hale

The best textbook in comparative politics.

Thiago Silva

Principles of Comparative Politics is a very comprehensive, rigorous, and detailed text. It is logically and effectively organized, across and within chapters. One of its strengths is the way the text discusses the strengths and weaknesses of different types of institutions and introduces students to debates in the literature. I will continue to assign the textbook so students are made to engage with the heated and continuing debates in political science.

Tayna Bagashka

After more than 20 years in the profession, Principles of Comparative Politics is truly the first textbook that will pave the way to establish norms on how to teach Introduction to Comparative Politics. Traditional method is outdated and too historical. This textbook provides an introduction to the ‘science of politics.’

Emizet Kisangani

The key strength to Principles of Comparative Politics is the theoretical approach. This is the best undergraduate text I have found within both Comparative and International Relations for introducing the scientific method and recent research. I feel that students leave this textbook understanding what political science truly is and what differentiates this field from area specialists. In addition, the book also acts as a comprehensive primer to rational choice theory, and is a great text to be used as a supplement to a rational choice class if looking for a substantive example.

Christine Mele

It is both my opinion and a majority of students’ opinion that Principles of Comparative Politics clearly and concisely presents and describes theories and concepts. From my experience, the book is clearer than most of the alternatives focused on Comparative Politics. From the student’s experience, the book is clearer than many similar texts they have read in Political Science and other disciplines. I believe the book manages to cover many of the relevant themes in Comparative Politics within a logical and interesting framework; as part of a more relevant discussion of the differences in democracy and dictatorships.

Nick Clark

"Principles of Comparative Politics is a very comprehensive, rigorous, and detailed text. It is logically and effectively organized, across and within chapters. One of its strengths is the way the text discusses the strengths and weaknesses of different types of institutions and introduces students to debates in the literature. I will continue to assign the textbook so students are made to engage with the heated and continuing debates in political science."--Tayna Bagashka

"After more than 20 years in the profession, Principles of Comparative Politics is truly the first textbook that will pave the way to establish norms on how to teach Introduction to Comparative Politics. Traditional method is outdated and too historical. This textbook provides an introduction to the 'science of politics.'"--Emizet Kisangani

"It is both my opinion and a majority of students' opinion that Principles of Comparative Politics clearly and concisely presents and describes theories and concepts. From my experience, the book is clearer than most of the alternatives focused on Comparative Politics. From the student's experience, the book is clearer than many similar texts they have read in Political Science and other disciplines. I believe the book manages to cover many of the relevant themes in Comparative Politics within a logical and interesting framework; as part of a more relevant discussion of the differences in democracy and dictatorships."--Nick Clark

"The key strength to Principles of Comparative Politics is the theoretical approach. This is the best undergraduate text I have found within both Comparative and International Relations for introducing the scientific method and recent research. I feel that students leave this textbook understanding what political science truly is and what differentiates this field from area specialists. In addition, the book also acts as a comprehensive primer to rational choice theory, and is a great text to be used as a supplement to a rational choice class if looking for a substantive example."--Christine Mele

From the Publisher