Electoral Realignment and the Outlook for American Democracy
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Paulson, Arthur, PUBLISHER: Norong>theong>astern University Press, Journalists ong>andong> ong>theong> general public have seized upon ong>theong> notion of "red" ong>andong> "blue" states to better understong>andong> ong>theong> presidential elections of ong>andong> , but this conception of political geography is seldom placed in historical perspective. In Electoral Realignment ong>andong> ong>theong> Outlook for American ong>Democracyong>, Arthur Paulson analyzes ong>theong> impact of ideological polarization on political parties ong>andong> electoral realignment in ong>theong> contemporary United States. Recalling ong>theong> extensive realignment that occurred between ong>andong> (with ong>theong> contentious election as its fulcrum) ong>andong> ong>theong> three decades of split-ticket voting ong>andong> "divided government" (most often featuring a Republican president ong>andong> a Democratic Congress) that followed, Paulson recognizes ong>theong> resurgence of party-line voting in ong>theong> last decade. A new, ideologically polarized party system--resembling a responsible party system more than has ever been ong>theong> case in ong>theong> American experience--has taken shape. ong>Theong> American polity continues to realign, ong>andong> Paulson discusses how ong>theong> forces at work are reshaping ong>theong> party system in particular ong>andong> ong>theong> health of American ong>democracyong> in general. Although ong>theong> United States is an "advanced" ong>democracyong>, he demonstrates ong>theong> need to view even American ong>democracyong> as "developing." If American ong>democracyong> is to thrive, Paulson says, it must change to meet ong>theong> realities of a rapidly changing world. ong>Theong> realigned system presents challenges to national unity, but it also offers opportunities for debating compelling issues that demong>andong> extreme choices, including zero-sum economics in a postindustrial society, globalization ong>andong> ong>theong> international economy, development ong>andong> underdevelopment around ong>theong> world, ong>andong> terrorism, war, ong>andong> peace. Strong on realignment ong>theong>ory, Paulson's timely ong>andong> authoritative study incorporates ong>theong> latest data from ong>theong> ong>andong> elections into his analysis, ong>andong> it offers vital ong>perspectivesong> on ong>theong> outlook for ong>theong> election. Scholars ong>andong> students of ong>theong> American political system, American government, comparative politics, political ong>theong>ory, electoral politics, ong>andong> American political culture will embrace this text, which easily lends itself to classroom adoption.