Kingdon explores how the American polity is different from that of other countries - particularly other Western democracies - examining just how this uniqueness came about. It invites both introductory and advanced students to appreciate the roots and limits of American exceptionalism, and to recognize the profound importance of current debates over the government's role in our everyday lives.
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From Library Journal
In this brief and accessible book, Kingdon (political science, Univ. of Michigan) tackles several basic, important questions often left unasked by the average American: What makes the American people different from people of other nations, and how and why did we become different? Essentially, the answers lie in what we believe about ourselves and our government. Kingdon argues that the basic components of "American ideology"?individualism and equality?coupled with a deep-seated mistrust of government growing out of the experience of the earliest American immigrants created the conditions from which our government, one of limited powers, was designed. Once started down the path of limited government, Americans rarely looked to government as the solution to societal problems. Hence, Kingdon suggests the center of politics in the United States, even today, is to the right of most of the industrialized nations of Europe. While Kingdon's book presents no new research on this subject, it is a refreshing and engaging review of what constitutes our political culture and its consequences for contemporary public policy.?Thomas J. Baldino, Wilkes Univ., Wilkes-Barre, PA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“It is hard to imagine a better introduction to the puzzle of American exceptionalism.” —Pietro S. Nivola, The Brookings Institution
“An exceptionally lucid and accessible account of 'American exceptionalism.'” —Margaret Weir, University of California, Berkeley
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
“An exceptionally lucid and accessible account of 'American exceptionalism.'” —Margaret Weir, University of California, Berkeley
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Poorly Written,
By Insane Reader (USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: America the Unusual (Paperback)
While the subject matter of this book is intriguing, it is poorly written. Kingdon continues to make the same points over and over and over and over. His sentence phrasing and choice of diction lull you to sleep. This man could have benefitted from taking an intro level English course, or an editor who cared. Once I got through the book, though, I did take his thoughts into consideration. But he could have condensed his thoughts into a few pages.
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book,
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This review is from: America the Unusual (Paperback)
This book does a great job of examining the odd quirks of this country as it works to rectify public opinion and public policy. John in a very thoughtful writer.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
America the Unusual,
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This review is from: America the Unusual (Paperback)
America the Unusual is a nice book that provides detail information about American culture and ideology.
The contents in this book is not difficult for readers.
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In 1994, my wife and I were visiting her most pleasant and friendly relatives in Norway. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, President Clinton, The Federalist, House of Representatives, Democratic Party, House Republicans, Great Britain, World War, American Revolution, European Union, Bill of Rights, Church of England, Republican Congress New!
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In 1994, my wife and I were visiting her most pleasant and friendly relatives in Norway. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, President Clinton, The Federalist, House of Representatives, Democratic Party, House Republicans, Great Britain, World War, American Revolution, European Union, Bill of Rights, Church of England, Republican Congress New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 55
books:
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13
books
cite this book:
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- Working-Class Formation: Nineteenth-Century Patterns in Western Europe and the United States by William H. Sewell Jr. in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- Social Policy in the United States by Theda Skocpol in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Bringing the State Back In by Peter B. Evans in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- The American Revolution: A History (Modern Library Chronicles) by Gordon S. Wood on page 34, and Back Matter
- Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies (Longman Classics Edition) (2nd Edition) by John W. Kingdon in Front Matter, and Back Matter
See all 55 books this book cites
- America's Crisis of Values: Reality and Perception by Wayne E. Baker in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- American Terminator: Myths, Movies, and Global Power by Ziauddin Sardar on page 67, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- The Contours of American Politics: An Introduction by Jon Roper in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Seeking the Center: Politics and Policymaking at the New Century by Martin A. Levin on page 189
- Ethical Dimensions of Health Policy by Marion Danis on page 116
See all 13 books citing this book
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