American Politics, Richard M. Valelly
American Politics, Richard M. Valelly
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American Politics
A Very Short Introduction

Author: Richard M. Valelly

Narrator: Paul Heitsch

Unabridged: 3 hr 57 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 07/31/2018


Synopsis

American politics seems to grow more contentious and complicated by the day, and whether American democracy works well is hotly debated. Amidst all this roiling partisan argument and confusing claims and counterclaims, there has never been a greater need for an impartial primer on the basics of the American political system.

This Very Short Introduction gives listeners a concise, accessible, and sophisticated overview of the vital elements of American democracy, emphasizing both how these elements function, their historical origins, and how they have evolved into their present forms. Richard Valelly covers all facets of America's political system: the bicameral Congress and the place of the filibuster, the legislative-executive process, the role of the Supreme Court, political parties and democratic choice, bureaucracy, the partisan revival, and the political economy. He offers as well an original analysis of the evolution of the American presidency and a fascinating chapter on the effects of public polling on political decision-making and voter representation. Valelly shows that the American political system is, and always has been, very much a work in progress—unfolding within, and also constantly updating, an eighteenth-century constitutional framework. In a refreshingly balanced and judicious assessment, he explores the strengths of American democracy while candidly acknowledging both gaps in representation and the increasing income inequality have sparked protest and intense public discussion. Finally, Valelly considers the remarkable persistence, for more than two centuries, of the basic constitutional forms established in 1787, despite the dramatic social changes that have reshaped virtually all aspects of American life.

For anyone wishing to understand the nuts and bolts of how our political system works—and sometimes fails to work—this Very Short Introduction is the very best place to start.

About Richard M. Valelly

Richard M. Valelly is Claude C. Smith '14 Professor of Political Science at Swarthmore College. His publications include Princeton Readings in American Politics, The Two Reconstructions: The Struggle for Black Enfranchisement, which won several prizes, and Radicalism in the States: The Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party and the American Political Economy.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Clif on May 29, 2024

This informative account covers all the bases, but it might well have been written by Pollyanna, perhaps a Professor Pollyanna who studies a subject but isn't involved with it. The great defects of American politics are only lightly touched upon, if at all. In this book, everything is working just f......more

Goodreads review by William on February 27, 2016

The book provides valuable information on some aspects of the current political landscape. However, I find that this book may be occupying an awkward niche in terms of the issues discussed. It's not exactly an introductory book of American political institutions, nor does it go too much into politic......more

Goodreads review by Ali on December 22, 2020

A very informative but small book. This book covers the following topics: 1: Elements of American democracy 2: The presidency 3: Congress and its bicameralism 4: The legislative-executive process 5: The supreme court 6: Bureaucracy 7: Public opinion and its influence 8: Political parties and democratic choi......more

Goodreads review by Tracie on February 20, 2023

American Politics: A Very Short Introduction by Richard M. Valelly BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS: Print: COPYRIGHT: 2013; ISBN 978-0195373851; PUBLISHER: Oxford University Press, paperback; PAGES 127 (?); Unabridged Digital: COPYRIGHT: 6/9/2009; ISBN 9780199912117; PUBLISHER: Oxford University Press; PAGES 136......more

Goodreads review by Eva on January 03, 2020

There is not much to be said about this book: like most "short introductions", it delivers what's promised, but the size of subject eventually shows itself to be too complicated for the books premise. And that's okay, some things are meant to be complicated and to take time to be understood properly......more