The American Democracy [Hardcover]

Thomas E. Patterson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0070490139 | ISBN-13: 978-0070490130 | Publication Date: June 1996 | Edition: 3rd

This text examines how current issues affect the institutions and processes of government in the United States. It has been updated to cover political developments including: the 1994 elections; the Republican-controlled congress; welfare reform measures; the immigration controversy; the National Performance Review and other effects to "downsize" governmental administration; regulatory policy reform; the changes in Haiti, Bosnia and Somalia; the UN; NATO; and the Oklahoma City bombing.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Thomas E. Patterson is Bradlee Professor of Government and the Press in the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He was previously distinguished professor of political science in the Maxwell School of Citizenship at Syracuse University. Raised in a small Minnesota town near the Iowa and South Dakota borders, he was educated at South Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota, where he received his Ph.D. in 1971. Currently running the "Vanishing Voter" study at the Kennedy School of Government, which has been widely used in the media and on college campuses, Tom is also the author of six books and dozens of articles, which focus primarily on the media and elections. His book, 'Out of Order'(1994), received national attention when President Clinton said every politician and journalist should be required to read it. An earlier book, 'The Mass Media Election'(1980), received a 'Choice' award as Outstanding Academic Book, 1980-81. Another of Patterson's books, 'The Unseeing Eye'(1976), was recently selected by the American Association for Public Opinion Research as one of the fifty most influential books of the past half century in the field of public opinion. His current research includes a study of White House communication and a study of the news media's role in Western democracies. His work has been funded by major grants from the National Science Foundation, the Markle Foundation, the Smith-Richardson Foundation, the Ford Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Gary Halter is a Professor of Political Science at Texas A&M University in College Station. He is a native of Amarillo and Wichita Falls, Texas and his PhD is from the University of Maryland. He served as the Mayor of College Station, Texas for six years and as a council member for five years. He has worked as a consultant to many city councils in Texas and in other states on goal setting and policy making. With Harvey Tucker, is a co-author of the Texas Legislative Almanac. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 597 pages
• Publisher: Mcgraw-Hill College; 3rd edition (June 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070490139
• ISBN-13: 978-0070490130
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,748,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars POL 201: american political systems, July 11, 2000

By 

K. Budzek "lbtyjnana" (Norman, Oklahoma, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The American Democracy (Hardcover)

This was the text used for my introductory poly-sci class. This book is one of the better texts I've been required to read. It's very concise and easy to understand, but doesn't talk down to the student. A wonderful reference and overview.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars American Democracy - For dummies, November 9, 2006

By 

M. MCIVOR (New Fairfield, CT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The American Democracy, with PowerWeb (Hardcover)

I am brand new to the subject but found this book an excellent starting point. It has easy to read chapters and supporting graphs. I reccomend to anyone who may be interested or a text book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-written, informative., January 15, 2010

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James Yanni (Bellefontaine Neighbors, Mo. USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The American Democracy, Alternate Edition (Paperback)

This is one of the more readable textbooks that I've encountered, yet in achieving that status, it does not seem to have sacreficed any degree of thoroughness. It is an excellent introduction to the American political system, and if, as one reviewer has noted, it is somewhat mistitled in that the American political system is NOT, technically, a democracy but is rather a representative republic, that's a pretty minor quibble to slam an otherwise excellent book over. Heck, I'd have given it a second star just for its appendices; it includes the text of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the US (including all amendments), and Federalist papers #s 10 and 51. As to the reviewer who complained that the book is biased against the south, I think he's oversensitive; I certainly didn't see anything of the sort.