Reviews (4)

Indispensable
This is a brilliant and provocative book; it makes a compelling argument that has particularly timely relevance.It should be on every desk and nightstand in Washington, especially in light of the current elections in the Middle East.

Provocative, but a mess
The book has its moments, but the conclusions are never compelling. His core mistake is that he never defines democratization. First, he conflates democratization and liberalization, which are two very different processes. As part of this, we never know when democratization begins or ends. Apparently German was democratizing for 45 years and Serbia for a century. Third, ethnic conflict has more to do with how authoritarian regimes governed than the fact that they disappeared, which would be clearer if he examined why so many ethnically diverse democratizing states have no significant rise in ethnic violence. Finally, many his policy presciptions go in the opposite direction of what a broad reading of the evidence would indicate.

Excellent
What makes this a great political science book is not merely the provocative counterintuitive claim regarding democratization (specifically partial democractization) offered by the author, but the solid, systematic and CLEAR (!) theoretical and empirical cases offer in support.A pleasure to read and a valuable contribution to scholarship and policy-making alike. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Democratization    2. Nationalism    3. Political Ideologies - Democracy    4. Political Process - General    5. Political Science    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Political science & theory    8. Political structures: democracy   

Subjects:  1. 1960-    2. Africa, Sub-Saharan    3. Capitalism    4. Democracy    5. Free Enterprise    6. General    7. Legitimacy of governments    8. Political Ideologies - Democracy    9. Political Process - General    10. Political Science    11. Politics - Current Events    12. Politics / Current Events    13. Politics and government    14. Politics/International Relations    15. Public opinion    16. Africa    17. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    18. Political Science / General   

Reviews (9)

THE book to read!
This book is, undoubtedly, THE best book to read insofar as the history of voting in America.Keyssar writes a fabulous book - meticulously detailing critical historical information - in a manner that is readable and enjoyable.The author does a marvelous job in citing his sources. Don't take it for granted
The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States should be on your required reading list if you are interested in the history of the democratic experiment in the United States.Alexander Keyssar has produced that most unusual book-both enjoyable and profoundly informative. The Coming of Democracy?
This is a very good history of the right to vote over the course of American history, with some surprises that shouldn't be for those left teary-eyed by the Fourth of July speeches concerning such matters. Democracy has evolved since the beginning of the American experiment, and we should hope that it will continue to do so, to earn its title. Created as a republic in the old-fashioned sense,with conditions of property for eligibility, the slow progression toward 'democracy' begins in the generations after the American Revolution, proceeding briskly yet with severe delimitations, the Civil, Reconstruction, the Second Reconstruction, and the woman's suffrage movement being important by-stations. This account does the job very well of refloatating the shadowy history, ending with a plaintive inspection of the steady retreat of voters from the voting booths. This book could be a useful introduction to the just published book, The Vanishing Voter, and is also, quite apart from its significance for the study of American history, a good companion to the study of the post-Civil War Reconstruction, where the general trend toward democratization actually reversed itself. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - U.S.    3. History: American    4. Political History    5. Political Ideologies - Democracy    6. United States - General    7. 20th century    8. American history    9. Civil rights & citizenship    10. Elections & referenda    11. Political structures: democracy    12. USA    13. c 1700 to c 1800    14. c 1800 to c 1900    15. Public Policy/Administration    16. Political Theory    17. American Government    18. American Studies   

Reviews (9)

Fighting the Right
This is a great resource for anyone concerned about the direction our country is being moved in. It's time for the "common sense" majority to stop being silent witnesses.

Plenty of inspiration for people of any age or income level
As the title states, this book describes a number of things that anyone can do to counteract the Right's strong influence in present-day America.
The Must-Have Guide to Fightfor the Truth
This is the must-have quick reference guide for progressives and moderates. Whether you are an activist, an aspiring activist, or a someone who just wants to have the answers to shut up your conservative friends and family, this is the book for you. This is the handy go-to book for anyone looking to take on the misleading propoganda of the right in today's fractured society.
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Subjects:  1. Democracy    2. Political Ideologies - Democracy    3. Political Science    4. Politics - Current Events    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Politics/International Relations    7. U.S. Government (General)    8. Political Science / Democracy   

Editorial Review

The advent of embedded reporters in the opening days of the 2003 US war on Iraq meant a more direct and personal point of view than battlefield coverage has historically offered. Rick Atkinson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Read more

Reviews (66)

Interesting Account
I listened to this audio book.
Should be titled "In the Company of Generals"
This book is really a very well written diary of the author's
"All your weapons and equipment was bought by the lowest bidder - the U.S. government. Now give me a victory!"
This was my first Atkinson book, and I didn't find him to live up to the hype others have created for him. This was what I expected to read, which was material you'd expect from a journalist travelling with a military unit. He does a good job trying not to promote or condemn the war and lays out the facts; good reporting. This is what journalism should be about, especially with the decline in professional journalism in the past decade. Don't expect to get an uncensored account from the grunt, Rick spends his time with the top brass and covers the operational, not tactical, aspects of the war's beginnings.
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Subjects:  1. 21st century    2. Airborne Division, 101st    3. Army    4. Army.    5. Campaigns    6. History    7. History - Military / War    8. History: World    9. Iraq War, 2003-    10. Military - General    11. Military - Iraq War    12. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    13. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    14. Political Ideologies - Democracy    15. United States    16. United States.   

Subjects:  1. Democracy    2. Difference (Philosophy)    3. General    4. History & Theory - General    5. Identity (Philosophical concep    6. Philosophy    7. Political    8. Political Ideologies - Democracy    9. Political Science    10. Political Theory    11. Politics / Current Events    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Political science & theory   

Reviews (2)

THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE SYSTEM
Only one review?What a shame.This is the best description of the system I have read.Sorry kids, despite what we've been told throughout our lives this ain't no democracy.Don't believe the hype.Instead, pick up a copy of this little gem and study it, live it, breathe it then encourage others to do the same.The author, in a simple, matter of fact style clearly spells out the mechanics and structure of our so called democratic system.Turns out it's just a tiny bit different than the beacon of democracy we've always been led to believe from the carefully filtered corporate propaganda that has so effectively saturated our minds throughout our lives. Man, is it easy to fool people, but I digress.The country is one huge exploitive corporation run by seven to ten thousand white Christian males.They call the shots; we don't. They, CEO's of major corporations, politicians, heads of policy formation groups, etc. largely determine the quality of our lives from the food we eat, the quality of our housing, how our tax dollars are siphoned off, the wars we fight, our education, transportation, just about everything.And you know what?It's nothing new.It's always been this way.The country has been a rip off from its origins.The class system was transplanted from England to the Colonies.The British expansion to the New World was not an experiment in democracy but an investment funded by the East India Company to establish another stronghold for the British Empire.Most members of the British government owned stock in the East India Company.Large tracts of land were given to members of the English upper class to establish a class system, and we fought the Revolutionary War to protect their business interests.Many believe that the problems with the country are that we've strayed from the ideals of the original intentions of the Founding Fathers.Well, as the author explains, most rich white men owned slaves, only rich white men were allowed to vote, women and minorities were exploited and had little political or economic power, they began decimating the Native Americans who stood in the way of ripping off everything in sight, etc.Familiar pattern?This hierarchical, patriarchal, domineering, racist, exploitive structure has flourished through to today and given our vast military and economic power has the potential to indeed destroy the entire planet through global warming or a nuclear holocaust triggered by one of our fascist crusades let alone the billions of lives we've destroyed at home and abroad throughout our history as an imperialist nation in the tradition of Britain, Spain, France and so on.As a citizen of the most powerful nation the world has ever known you have the responsibility to purchase this book and then take action to make the country into what we've always been told it is.A politically astute, involved citizenry is the only chance the country has.

An examination of who really holds the the power in America
Paul Kivel's You Call This A Democracy?: Who Benefits, Who Pays And Who Really Decides is a practical, 226 page textbook for American activists and educators. It's ground breaking premise is that the distribution of economic resources in America is such that 1% of the population (the ruling class) controls 47% of the net financial wealth, while 19% of the population controls 44% of the net financial wealth (managerial class) and 80% of the population divides up 9% of the net financial wealth. The impact on society of having a ruling class is huge, as is the impact on the rest of the world. Kivel is an expert violence prevention educator, activist, and writer. His thesis in You Call This A Democracy? is nothing less than revolutionary, and it is carefully explained, documented, researched, referenced and illustrated. In addition to a hard hitting, fast moving definition of the power elite system currently in play, You Call This A Democracy? contains a workshop study guide, resources list including a videography, bibliography, glossary, magazines, and organizations and websites. If the reader wonders what the author is working for, he states it succinctly at the end in 'From the Author:' "My work is driven by a powerful question: How can we live and work to sustain community, nurture each other, and create a multi-cultural society based on love, justice, and interdependence with all living things?...I envision a society where each person is valued regardless of gender, race, cultural background, sexual identity, ability or disability, or access to wealth. This society would provide adequate shelter, food, education, recreation, health care, security, and well-paying jobs for all. The land would be respectable and sustained, and justice and equal opportunity would prevail. Such a society would value cooperation over competition, community development over individual achievement, democratic participation over hierarchy and control, and interdependence over either dependence or independence (p.227)." If you want to be aware of how to change the present system of resource distribution, read You Call This A Democracy? And pass it on to your friends.
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Subjects:  1. Elite (Social sciences)    2. Equality    3. Political Ideologies - Democracy    4. Political Science    5. Politics/International Relations    6. Power (Social sciences)    7. United States   

Subjects:  1. Democracy    2. Judaism - General    3. Political Ideologies - Democracy    4. Political Process - Elections    5. Political Process - Leadership    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics and government    8. Religion    9. Textbooks    10. U.S. Government (General)    11. United States    12. Political Science / General    13. Political structures: democracy    14. USA   

Reviews (1)

European Politics
Simply the best book on comparative West European politics. Organised by theme rather than country; but does not just cover the 'big' countries as most texts do. Excellent. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. Europe    3. General    4. Political Ideologies - Democracy    5. Political Science    6. Political parties    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. Representative government and representation    10. EU & European institutions    11. Political Science / General    12. Political structures: democracy   

Reviews (127)

Don't Buy Books From Crooks
The book is nothing more than a large ego trip from one of the most vile man in politics. Limbaugh has recycled his on air rant and raves into text.There is nothing new here.How a failed top forty DJ becomes the mouth piece for the republican party speaks a lot about conservatives.Treat yourself to Viagra instead.
Long-time listener - first (and last) time reader
I'll admit -- I don't like Rush one bit. I listen to his show to find out what the creepy side of America is being told to think. But I did check out this book, and it's slightly better than I expected. That is to say, it's considerably better than Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly or Ann Coulter's stuff.He doesn't rant or rave.
I really wanted to not like this book, but...
I did like it after reading it.My views tend towards the conservative end of the spectrum and I found myself nodding my head at some of his essays, particularly those on animal rights and feminazis (his word for man-hating feminists). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1980-    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Government - U.S. Government    4. Political Ideologies - Democracy    5. Political Process - General    6. Politics - Current Events    7. Politics and government    8. Social conditions    9. Social problems    10. United States    11. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (8)

This book is genius--great fun to read and filled with aha! moments
Ever wonder how Republicans manage to capture middle and working class votes while serving the interests of the wealthy?How they've managed to win the presidency and both houses of Congress despite disastrous economic, environmental and international policies?What it is about their communication style that makes it so convincing and effective?
Thoughtful, with Good Ideas!
In 2004 a President who lied to justify an unpopular war and had the worst jobs record since the Depression still managed to win.The Republicans control all three branches of government and a majority of governorships and state legislatures.The national debate has shifted from real problems to distractions like gay marriage, partial-birth abortion, and flag-burning.Waldman believes this all adds up to a need for progressives to change.
Useful High-End Book on Strategy for the Center-Left

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Subjects:  1. 2001-    2. Democracy    3. Democratic Party (U.S.)    4. General    5. Government - U.S. Government    6. Political Ideologies - Conservatism & Liberalism    7. Political Ideologies - Democracy    8. Political Science    9. Politics - Current Events    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Politics and government    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Progressivism (United States politics)    14. U.S. Government (General)    15. United States    16. Elections & referenda    17. Liberalism & centre democratic ideologies    18. Political Science / General    19. USA   

Editorial Review

Someone was bound to go after Michael Moore eventually and this book holds nothing back. An immensely popular figure to political left-wingers, Michael Moore presents himself as a regular working-class guy in a baseball cap with the courage to take some rich and powerful folks to task for their corrupt and deceitful ways. David T. Hardy and Jason Clarke say this populist, muckraker image is pure whitewash. Believing that this charade has gone on for too long, and done too much damage to the U.S., they have written this book to expose Moore as narcissistic and irresponsible and his body of work "as manipulative as totalitarian propaganda." To prove their point, they pick apart Moore's books and movies to illustrate how he is consistently manipulative, dishonest, and, at times, simply absurd. They show how he altered the timeline of Read more

Reviews (732)

Let the facts speak for themselves
This is a remarkable book that exposes Moore's manipulation of facts in order to promote his agenda which is purely to attack the Republican Party and it's President (Bush).
GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT PLAYS MIKE'S GAME, TOO
While I'm glad the liberal sacred cow of Michael Moore has been brought down a peg or two, and that his dishonesty is laid bare. BUT; this book does a better job of attacking for attack's sake than it does rebutting Moore's deceiptful, manipulating tactics.
cant someone please write an intelligent response to michael moore
i purchased this book, mainly because of my love for michael moore's work and i wanted to see what the other side had to say. however, most of the book simply pointed out flaws in michael moore's character, rather than attack the things he had to say. im sure most of us could assume that michael moore was not the easiest person to get along with. i was upset when reading this book, as i am with most political books, because rather than put up well spoken arguments, the author just bashes anyone who believes otherwise. i am a liberal and was disgusted when reading certain parts of this book, mostly because it consisted of essays trying to debase liberals and not much else. the things they pointed out about michael moore's movies/books that were false were good points, however they were trivial when compared to the larger things that moore had to say. overall, i was not impressed with what this book had to say, i was insulted, and it looks like i wasted a fair amount of money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1954 Apr. 23-    2. 1989-    3. American Satire And Humor    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Conservatism    7. Entertainment & Performing Arts - General    8. Film & Video - History & Criticism    9. Miscellanea    10. Moore, Michael,    11. Political Ideologies - Conservatism & Liberalism    12. Political Ideologies - Democracy    13. Politics and government    14. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    15. United States    16. Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts    17. English    18. Individual film directors, film-makers    19. USA   

Subjects:  1. Civics & Citizenship    2. Democracy    3. Political Ideologies - Democracy    4. Political Science    5. Politics - Current Events    6. Politics and government    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Textbooks    9. United States    10. Political Science / General    11. Political structure & processes    12. USA   

Reviews (109)

Good Stuff
Boortz does an excellent job using the notorious Tytler quotation ("A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government--it can only exist until voters discover they can vote themselves money from the public treasury") to illustrate how liberals purchase votes from their core constituents. Interestingly though, Boortz spells Alexander Fraser Tytler's last name as "Tyler," and, as many before him does, attributes the quote to something referencing the Athenian empire. What is interesting about this is that Tytler seems to have never said or written this phrase, though it is customary to attribute it to him! It's still a great quote though, whowever actually said it. Anyway, liberals can villianize the rich because the wealthy do not constitute a majority of voters. Most people are envious of those who have more than them and are ready to believe liberals who tell them that since there are others that have more than they do that they are "victims." One, upon hearing this however, should ALWAYS ask, "victims of what, or who?" The answer is that they are victims of the comparisons they make that make them feel that their lives are in some way lacking, though they will be ever ready to blame such discrepancies on some social injustice, no matter what the actual cause. Boortz presents us with excellent and fast-moving chapter after chapter, until he nearly spoils everything by pulling a non sequitur: He seems to imply that he's a libertarian in the Ayn Rand sense of the term, and even cites Atlas Shrugged as must reading for all interested in what he's saying...and then he follows this up with a chapter on the importance of faith! Has he actually ever read Atlas Shrugged? Ayn would be rolling her eyes dear friends (she was an atheist who thought faith was a dangerous and foolish concept). It's too bad, but doesn't destroy the rest of what he has to say.

Excellent read.
Highly recomend The Terrible Truth About Liberals, and The Fair Tax Book.James Kennedy

Typical egomania
Boortz is the worst example of egomania I've ever seen. Every word that comes out of his mouth spews of pure ego. This book is worthless dribble that says nothing. So is his radio show, and I'll never understand how his whining, ranting, and ego-spewing could ever be seen as "truth." What truth? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1980-    2. Liberalism    3. Political Process - Political Parties    4. Politics / Current Events    5. Politics/International Relations    6. Social conditions    7. United States    8. Political Science / Democracy    9. Political Science / General   

Subjects:  1. 1907-1973    2. Economic Conditions    3. Political Ideologies - Democracy    4. Political Science    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Public Policy - Social Services & Welfare    8. Public welfare    9. Social Work    10. Social policy    11. Titmuss, Richard Morris,    12. Welfare state    13. Economic theory & philosophy    14. Social Science / Social Work    15. Social welfare & social services   

Editorial Review

As the United States faces what many see as another lackluster election in November 2000, John B. Judis's Read more

Reviews (4)

very informative
The most compelling theme of this book to me was its historical explanation of why there seems to be no informed/reasoned middle ground in politics today, which is something I find particularly mystifying and frustrating.The history and mechanics Judis describes of how disinterested elites have disappeared while letterhead advocacy groups have become rampant is very plausible, especially with the numerous detailed examples he cites. A cogent explanation of how we got here...
Judis is particularly smart about the 1970s, which he characterizes as a moment of conservative and corporate backlash.He suggests that if you follow the money, and the think-tanks, you can see (in part) how and why the right was able to triumph politically in a degraded public sphere once we got to the 1980s and 1990s. The name of the game for them has been propaganda--"Trust us, Mr. Working Man, welfare cheats are what ail you. That and capital gains taxes that are too high."--and they've done it well. Hell, with all theScaife, Olin, Cato, Heritage, AEI, and CEI doublespeak and disinformation spewed out over the course of the last 3 decades, it's a wonder any of us have any sense left at all. Hopefully, with the eruption of a new corporate scandal every other day in 2002 (nearly all of which have links to the "screw-the-poor-and-the-middle-class / but-fatten-the-rich-and-the-corporations" Bush-Cheney Administration) people are finally beginning to wise up...

Awful
Do yourself a favor and avoid this book. Mr. Judis fails miserably to explain why political cynicism seems to be at an all-time high. A devout leftist, Judis relies upon formulaic left wing claptrap to support his thesis that high minded elitists are no longer looking out for the interest of working people, but rather their own self interest. He somehow manages to strech out liberal 'bumper sticker' philosophy for 306 pages, most of it mind numbingly innane. This book is an utter failure, particularly given that his book on WF Buckley was surprisingly neutral and honest. This is the type of drivel you would expect to see from some nutjob writing for Mother Jones, not the New Republic. What a shame. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Democracy    3. Elite (Social sciences)    4. Government - U.S. Government    5. History    6. History & Theory - General    7. Political Ideologies - Democracy    8. Political Process - General    9. Political Science    10. Political participation    11. Politics / Current Events    12. Politics/International Relations    13. United States    14. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    15. Political Science / General    16. Political structures: democracy   

Subjects:  1. Comparative    2. Constitutional    3. Courts - General    4. International    5. Interpretation and construction    6. Judges    7. Judicial process    8. Law    9. Legal Reference / Law Profession    10. Political Ideologies - Democracy    11. Courts & procedure    12. Jurisprudence & General Issues    13. Law / Constitutional    14. Political Philosophy    15. Political Science and International Relations   

Reviews (10)

Required reading????
The guy makes his liberal points like gangbusters. But why on earth is this type of material required reading in several colleges without an equally substantial pro-capitalist book to counter it?
The View from the Far Left
This book is an excellent summary of the thinking of the left wing of the Democratic party. He brings forth a good collection of ways that he sees our society declining. I believe the thing he laments most is that the rich are rich. From this he goes on to saying that the standard work week in the US should be shorter, there should be universal health care, the whole litany of the issues of the far left.
Five Stars for Originality and Scholarship, Three for the Quality of Writing
I give this book five stars for orginality and scholarship and three for the quality of the writing.
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Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Capitalism    3. Democracy    4. Development - Economic Development    5. Economic Conditions    6. Economics - General    7. Free Enterprise    8. General    9. Government - U.S. Government    10. Income distribution    11. Political Ideologies - Democracy    12. Political Science    13. Politics / Current Events    14. Politics/International Relations    15. United States    16. Wealth    17. Business & Management    18. Economics    19. History / General   

Editorial Review

Complex, ambitious, disquieting, and ultimately hopeful, Read more

Reviews (9)

A Multitude of Partially Formed Ideas (and Not All Good Ones)
I read almost exclusively fiction and this book is an example of why, on those rare occasions when I summon the necessary moral fiber to read a non-fiction title, that I run scurrying back to stories about science fiction and detectives.
Simply beautiful!
This book took me back to my schooldays in the old Soviet Empire (not a capitalist one, and yet in a perpetual state of war both internally and externally).More specifically, to my mandatory propaganda classes run by highly trained and experienced Soviet counter-intelligence officers.This book is so smartly written it would make them proud!Why?Let me quote from memory "To get people to see things your way and join your cause follow few basic but very important rules:Speak to their instincts and their hearts; not to their minds. Attempts to reason with your targets at the intellectual level are bound to trigger critical thinking, at which point you as good as lost them.So do not engage in discussions and do not state facts to advance your cause, i.e. do not follow "there is X and there is Y therefore this is A".This makes your targets focus on X and Y which they may question, they may add a Z, and challenge your arrival at A as manipulation of facts.Which it needs to be - only smarter.Therefore, present targets with statement A first and win over their hearts and instincts.Then present facts X and Y selectively "to illustrate".Trick is that by then your targets will have already bought A and will happily accept X and Y as "factual justification".Of course they are only self-rationalizing why they bought your A in the first place, but this is exactly what you need to make A stick.Always use short simple sentences, big numbers, bigh words, bright colors, make sweeping statements...It may be counter-intuitive, but your targets will always have a propensity to believe big lies than small facts.And once they belive, they will be able to explain away anything that does not fit into their belief.This is how you set in motion self-sustaining process and know that you have succeeded."And so it goes.And this is what this book does, and this is why it is so effective.Have fun reading it!And remember Fox Mulder - "I want to believe" :)

a new vocabulary for a new world?
michael hardt said that the purpose of his book(s) (ie "empire) is a construct a new political vocabulary. "multitude" is s postmodern marxist view of the end of history as envisioned by kant and hegel and other enlightenment visionaries.
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Subjects:  1. Colonies And Colonization    2. Democracy    3. Globalization    4. History & Theory - General    5. International Relations - General    6. International relations    7. Internationalism    8. Political    9. Political Ideologies - Democracy    10. Political Science    11. Political Theory    12. Politics / Current Events    13. Politics/International Relations    14. War    15. Political Science / General