American Politics and Society (eBook)

DAVID McKAY is Professor of Government at the University of Essex. He is the author of numerous books and articles on American and comparative politics, including Designing Europe: Comparative Lessons from the Federal Experience (2001), which won the Political Studies Association W. J. M. MacKenzie prize, 2001. He is also co-author of The New British Politics (2007).

List of Plates xiv

List of Figures xvii

List of Tables xx

Preface to the Eighth Edition xxii

1 Government and the People in a Polarized Society 1

2 Beliefs, Values and American Society 6

3 Constitutional Government 41

4 Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations 63

5 American Political Parties and the Politics of Polarization 86

6 Elections and Political Participation 111

7 The Media and American Politics 146

8 Congress I: The People's Branch? 160

9 Congress II: Functions and Powers - The Broken Branch? 183

10 The Presidency I: Powers and Selection 212

11 The Presidency II: The President as Chief Executive 232

12 Bureaucratic Power: Federal Departments and Agencies 256

13 The Security State 278

14 Organized Interests: The Real Power? 291

15 The Supreme Court and Judicial Politics 315

16 Regulating Morality: Civil Rights, Liberties and the Conscience Issues 345

17 Social Policy in America: Self-Reliance and State Dependence 364

18 Managing Economic Change 377

19 Environmental Politics 397

20 The American World Role 411

21 The American Political System in an Uncertain World 425

Websites 433

Glossary 437

Appendix: The Constitution of the United States 449

Index 469