Understanding Principles of Politics and the State

Front Cover
University Press of America, 2007 - Political Science - 263 pages
Originally published under the title Principles of Politics, this completely revised and updated work is a study in applied political theory. It uses current political society and politics as its backdrop and shows that the nature, authority, origin, and purpose of the state are dictated by fundamental theoretical and practical principles linked to the goals and values of ordinary life. Helpful in the quest for understanding are depictions of the political world by ancient philosophers as well as contemporary political scientists. With detailed examples, Understanding Principles of Politics and the State examines the charge that democracy is a myth, describes the world of academic political science, and belies the cynicism that principles and politics do not go together. An efficient and effective organizing principle is used to explain justice, rights, groups, church and state, federalism, constitutionalism, and even proposals for "world government." A brief case study of the Philippines illustrates some basic principles of state building. A preference for presidential over parliamentary government stands at odds with the view of many commentators. The necessity for principles in understanding ubiquitous change ends the book. Book jacket.

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Contents

Democracy Three Views
1
The Political System
25
Political Science Scope And Methods
37
The Nature Of The State
57
Political AuthoritySovereignty
71
The OriginControl Of The State
81
The Purpose Of The State
95
Ideologies
105
The State And Groups
147
Constitutionalism
175
Forms Of Government Geographic Distribution Of Power
203
Forms Of Government Functional Distribution Of Power
221
Political Change
235
Appendix
245
Bibliography
255
Index
259

Subsidiarity And Justice
113
The Individual And The State A Focus On Rights
125

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About the author (2007)

John J. Schrems is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Villanova University. He is the coauthor of Future Politics, coeditor of On the Intelligibility of Political Philosophy, and author of numerous academic journal articles on ancient, modern, and contemporary theory.

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