The American Commonwealth -Volume II covers the party system in American politics. It discusses the pitfalls and benefits of the two-party system that has become entrenched. He describes for those who are unfamiliar with it how American political parties use their power, and explains for the benefit of all how the peculiar American interpretation of political parties came to be. He further delves into the political machine, corruption, and the doling out of favors. Bryce attempts to clarify how Americans, whom he has deemed a generally honorable people, could approve or allow such evils within their system of government without themselves being guilty of corruption and evil. His observations of the American character are deft and may be as informative to Americans themselves as they are to foreign readers. Anyone with an interest in politics or American history will find Bryce's commentary penetratingly insightful. British historian VISCOUNT JAMES BRYCE (1838-1922) attended the University of Glasgow and Trinity College, Oxford. He is best known for his scholarship of the Holy Roman Empire. His popular works include Studies in History and Jurisprudence (1901) and Studies in Contemporary Biography (1903). |
Contents
3 | |
21 | |
30 | |
39 | |
55 | |
WHY THE BEST MEn do not go INTO POLITICS | 69 |
PARTY ORGANIZATIONS | 76 |
THE MACHINE | 82 |
THE NATURE OF PUBLIC OPINION | 247 |
GOVERNMENT BY PUBLIC OPINION | 255 |
How PUBLIC OPINION RULES IN AMERICA | 263 |
ORGANS OF PUBLIC OPINION | 270 |
NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS | 281 |
CLASSES AS INFLUENCING OPINION | 293 |
LXXXII LOCAL TYPES OF OPINIONEAST WEST AND SOUTH | 307 |
THE ACTION OF PUBLIC OPINION | 317 |
WHAT THE MACHINE HAS TO DO | 90 |
HOW THE MACHINE WORKS | 97 |
RINGS AND BOSSES | 107 |
LOCAL EXTENSION OF RINGS AND BOSSES | 120 |
SPOILS | 131 |
ELECTIONS AND THEIR MACHINERY | 142 |
CORRUPTION | 154 |
THE WAR AGAINST BOSSDOM | 166 |
NOMINATING CONVENTIONS | 175 |
THE NOMINATING CONVENTION AT Work | 185 |
THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN | 203 |
THE ISSUES IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS | 213 |
FURther ObservATIONS ON NOMINATIONS AND ELEC TIONS | 220 |
TYPES OF AMERICAN STATESMEN | 228 |
WHAT THE PEOPLE THINK OF IT | 237 |
THE TYRANNY OF THE MAJORITY | 335 |
THE FATALISM OF THE MULTITUDE | 344 |
WHEREIN PUBLIC OPINION FAILS | 354 |
WHEREIN PUBLIC OPINION SUCCEEDS | 363 |
PART VILLUSTRATIONS AND REFLECTIONS | 375 |
THE HOME OF THE NATION | 449 |
THE SOUTH SINCE THE | 469 |
FOREIGN POLICY AND TERRITORIAL EXTENSION | 521 |
LAISSEZ FAIRE | 535 |
WOMAN SUFFRAGE | 549 |
THE SUPPOSED FAULTS OF DEMOCRACY | 563 |
THE TRUE FAULTS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY | 581 |
THE STRENGTH OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY | 594 |
How FAR AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IS AVAILABLE | 607 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abolitionism Abolitionist American ballot become better Boss called candidates carpet-bag CHAPTER character citizens civil coloured committee Congress Constitution convention corrupt course delegates democracy Democratic Democratic party districts election England English equal Europe European evils exist fact favour Federal feeling Fernando Wood force habit immigrants influence interest Kentucky labour leaders legislation legislature less majority mass ment mind moral municipal nation native native Americans natural negroes newspapers nominating North organization party perhaps persons Philadelphia police political politicians polls popular population practical present President presidential primary Prohibitionist public opinion questions race railroad reform Republican Republican party Ring seems sense sentiment slavery social sometimes South South Carolina Southern Spoils System statesmen suffrage Tammany Tammany Hall tendency things tion Union United vote voters Western whites whole women Wyoming York York City
Popular passages
Page 22 - Neither party has anything definite to say on these issues; neither party has any principles, any distinctive tenets. Both have traditions. Both claim to have tendencies. Both have certainly war cries, organizations, interests, enlisted in their support. But those interests are in the main the interests of getting or keeping the patronage of the government. Tenets and policies, points of political doctrine and points of political practice, have all but vanished.
Page 22 - ... country as seriously involving its welfare? This is what a European is always asking of intelligent Republicans and intelligent Democrats. He is always asking because he never gets an answer. The replies leave him in deeper perplexity.