New Book: A Critical Review of the U.S. Political System
Blog: JOSEP COLOMER'S BLOG
Book CLICK:Constitutional PolarizationA Critical Review of the U.S. Political System by Josep M. ColomerABSTRACTIn this book, Josep M. Colomer argues, against much conventional wisdom, that political polarization is embedded in the constitutional design. The book puts forth that sustained conflict and institutional gridlock are not mainly questions of character, personalities, or determined by socioeconomic or cultural inequalities. They are, above all, the result of the formula of separation of powers between the Presidency and Congress, which, together with a system of only two parties, fosters adversarial politics and polarization. Colomer contends that in the past, bipartisan cooperation and domestic peace flourished only under a foreign existential threat, such as during the Cold War. Once such a threat vanished, unsettled issues and new social concerns have broadened the public agenda and triggered again animosity and conflict. Constitutional Polarization offers innovative and relevant insights in political science to a broad readership without technical or academic jargon. It will be of high interest to those readers attentive to current affairs, as well as to public officers, journalists, pundits, and those in the study of political science, where it can also become a staple for courses in American Politics. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction: It's the Institutions! 1: A Tamed Democracy 1. Democracy Was Only for Small Countries 2. From Empire to Federation 3. Montesquieu Did Not Speak English II: An Elected King with the Name of President 4. The Archaic Presidential Election 5. Biased Filters and Checks 6. The Presidentialist Temptation III: Two Parties with Narrow Agendas 7. The Framers Did Not Like Factions 8. The Unforeseen Emergence of Only Two Parties 9. Shifting Majorities and Accordion Agendas IV: Either Internal Anger or External Fear 10. Anarchy and Civil War 11. Cold-War Fear and Cooperation 12. The Ongoing Turmoil V: A Future in Hope ADVANCED PRAISE: "Many who worry about the state of American democracy adopt a narrow focus andconsequently propose specific reform proposals such as ranked-choice voting orcampaign finance restrictions. This book by an eminent scholar of comparative politicssituates American democracy in a broader historical, comparative, and—especially—international context. Along the way, it makes a welcome shift in the focus of attentionfrom what is going on inside the heads of voters to what is occurring in the larger social,economic, and international worlds in which they live." Morris P. FiorinaStanford University and Hoover Institution "In this brilliant book, Josep Colomer documents how the visionary framers of the USConstitution devised the doctrine of separation of powers to curb monarchical rule andthe follies of immoderate majorities. Although presidentialism generally succeeded in aworld long dominated by imperial powers, he shows how in recent decades theincreased gridlock of divided government continues to undermine genuine democraticgovernance."Arturo ValenzuelaGeorgetown UniversityCo-author (with Juan J. Linz) of The Failure of Presidential Democracy Constitutional Polarization: a critical review of the U.S. political system - Offers a uniqueperspective on polarization, a fertile field for investigation and debates among scholarsconcerning contemporary American problems as well as historical controversies, withplenty of teaching moments for students. The book is free of jargon and is written in away that should be accessible to a wide range of readers. Josep Colomer is an accomplished scholar in political science, an original thinker withdeep knowledge of political history. His scholarship combines the best of formal theoryand comparative empirical analysis. He is an expert on the development andfunctioning of political institutions. The issue of political polarization is of growinginterest and widely taught.BROWNS BOOKShttps://www.brownsbfs.co.uk/ PREORDER CLICK book flyer 20% discountAlso available at: Amazon |
