Political parties and party platforms Books

Book SynopsisAn eye-opening look at how political parties and the government use branding strategies and the implications that this has for Canadian democracy.Trade ReviewMarland’s excellent account pulls back the curtain and reveals minute behind the scenes details of how the government practiced strategic communication, something that is seldom possible to document so thoroughly. His analysis of specific branding efforts will be useful to academics studying the field. -- R. Paul Wilson, Assistant Professor of Political Science * International Journal of Public Administration *"Marland’s excellent account pulls back the curtain and reveals minute behind the scenes details of how the government practiced strategic communication, something that is seldom possible to document so thoroughly. His analysis of specific branding efforts will be useful to academics studying the field. But it is also highly recommended for practitioners, both on the political side and within the public service, who want to understand how a particular government handled communications, the path that future governments are likely to take in a similar way to solve similar challenges, and the pressures that this puts on the relationship between the political government and the permanent government." -- R. Paul Wilson * International Journal of Public Administration *The pursuit of political power is more strategic than ever and political parties and governments are using the same brand control as the world’s largest corporations, which does not bode well for democracy, argues Alex Marland in his thought-provoking new book … Mr. Marland, one of the country’s leading experts on marketing and politics … substantially investigates the branding strategy in government and politics today and looks at how it will create serious problems for parliamentary democracy. -- Kate Malloy * The Hill Times *Much of Marland’s book is focused on how the former Conservative government brought branding and message control to federal politics — and it’s the most complete, revelatory insight to date … Marland flatly warns that branding erodes parliamentary democracy and the book contains a number of suggested ways to keep branding power in check. It doesn’t work well when people are “off message.” Healthy democracy, on the other hand, requires an element of dissent and disagreement. The same is true of the media, which can often be seen by brand-fixated governments as just another arm of the marketing machine. -- Susan Delacourt * The Toronto Star *Practically every paragraph [of Brand Command] is jam-packed with provocative instances and insightful opinions. Any person who aspires to political participation, or simply to an intelligent grasp of the nuances of modem politics, must read this book. -- Bill Rowe, former politician and author of The Worst and Best of the Premiers and Some We Never Had * Newfoundland Quarterly *Alex Marland’s Brand Command provides us with insightful and profound lessons about how government works behind the scenes. Marland collected and analyzed a wealth of fascinating primary government data to write the book, and as a result, it demonstrates how tightly government can manage its communications, raises questions about how effective centralized systems are, and requires us all to reflect on how (or even if) we can judge whether the practice of political management is acceptable or not for democracy. -- Jennifer Lees-Marshment, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand * The International Journal of Press/Politics *Alex Marland has written a tour de force on message control in government and party communications … Beyond this worthy contribution to his field of study, Marland also manages to interweave a synthesis of theoretical perspectives while offering his own original insights into modern government communications and political marketing. In all likelihood, Brand Command will become a standard reference work for those who study this increasingly important aspect of politics and public policy. -- James Bickerton, St. Francis Xavier University * Journal of Newfoundland and Labrador Studies *This book represents another major contribution to the study of Canadian political communications and marketing by Alex Marland. -- William Wilson, University of Ottawa * Journal of Canadian Studies *Table of ContentsPreface: Branding, Message Control, and Sunny WaysIdentifies what went wrong for Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party in the 2015 election campaign, which sets up a provocative summary of communications practices in the early days of the new Liberal government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.1 The Centralization of Communications in Government and PoliticsSets the scene by establishing that communications practices are contributing to centralized power in the centre of parliamentary government. A hypothesis is introduced that everything political passes through a branding “lens.”2 Marketing and Branding in PoliticsSummarizes the advent of political marketing and branding, and identifies party discipline and central agencies as enablers.3 The Tumultuous Digital Media EnvironmentEstablishes that politics, government and the parliamentary press gallery have been transformed by digital media. Discusses concepts such as media logic, agenda setting, framing, information subsidies, celebritization, pseudo-scandal, and political advertising.4 Public Sector BrandsContinues to lay a theoretical foundation by conceptualizing types of brands in the political marketplace. Features a case study that treats Justin Trudeau as a brand line extension of his father Pierre, the transformative Canadian prime minister.5 Communications Simplicity and Political MarketingArgues that research is informing the simplification and precision of communications messaging in politics. Presents evidence of ways that political marketing is practiced.6 Brand Discipline and DebrandingAdvances an argument that political elites are responding to changing communications technology with intensified media management that requires message consistency. This includes a penchant for negativity, as strategists attempt to damage an opponent’s brand.7 Central Government Agencies and CommunicationsDocuments ways that the cabinet, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and supporting agencies impose message control through spin and other forms of media management.8 Branding in Canadian Public AdministrationExplores the variety of ways that the Government of Canada practices message control and branding within the public service itself, bringing together formerly disparate units.9 Politicization of Government CommunicationsIllustrates ways that political personnel impose their partisan values on the public service, through such mechanisms as a “whole of government” approach to marketing.10 The Fusion of Party and Government BrandsShows how the governing party attempts to fuse its brand with the government’s and strives to eviscerate select reminders of past administrations. Features a case study of the Economic Action Plan branding campaign after the 2008-09 global economic crisis.11 Public Sector Branding: Good or Bad for Democracy?Presents arguments in favour of public sector branding and warns of a number of concerns, before presenting recommendations for policy change.AppendicesGlossaryNotesReferencesInterviewsIndex

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Book SynopsisThe New NDP traces the tumultuous shift in federal New Democratic Party's ideology and campaigning techniques in the opening decades of the twenty-first century.Trade ReviewIn a climate of growing challenges to democratic integrity, understanding ourelectoral system is particularly important. This book’s strengths enhance public comprehension, and its gaps open pathways for further investigation. -- Lori Williams * Alberta Views *[The author], an NDP insider, describes the party’s slow but steady climb back under Jack Layton and Tom Mulcair until, after 2011, it was the Official Opposition and a government in waiting. Then in 2015, everything fell apart. The book is like a forensic accountant’s analysis of a startup’s path from concept to riches to bankruptcy. -- Crawford Kilian * The Tyee *A new book about the New Democratic party offers exceptional insights into the party’s evolution from an undisciplined ideological group to a political marketing powerhouse. Current leader Jagmeet Singh and his strategists should pick up a copy, and quick.The New NDP: Moderation, Modernization, and Political Marketing is a rare inside look at how a Canadian political party expands and retracts. It is a thorough examination of how the NDP operated under leader Alexa McDonough and transformed…Ultimately the reader-friendly manner in which he presents an astounding array of data should make The New NDP required reading for NDP strategists. Judging by public opinion polls, it would be in their best interest to consult it sooner rather than later. -- Alex Marland * The Hill Times *McGrane’s dogged research and sincere devotion to this subject allows his work to fill an important void regarding the recent political history of Canada’s party of social democracy. -- Chuck Deshaies * American Review of Canadian Studies *In The New NDP, David McGrane weaves a highly engaging and convincing narrative of the party’s trajectory from third party status, to official opposition and then dashed hopes of forming government in 2015. Although the study offers important new insights to the literature on the NDP, its empirical richness and methodological rigour make it an authoritative account of how modern campaigns are conducted in Canada more generally. The study’s methodological rigour, including the combination of theory with a mixed methods approach that draws upon a remarkable range of original data, establishes a high standard for future research in this field. -- Prize Jury, 2020 Donald Smiley PrizeTable of ContentsIntroduction1 Ferment in the Party: The Federal NDP, 2000–032 The Rise of Party Headquarters: Internal Party Organization3 Imposing Discipline and Order: The NDP inside the House of Commons4 Dare to Dream: Campaign Strategies, 2000–155 Continuity and Change: The Ideology and Policies of the NDP6 Stealing Market Share: Electoral Market Segmentation and the NDP, 2000–117 Heartbreak: Voter Behaviour and the 2015 Federal Election8 Which Way Now?Appendix A: List of Semi-Structured InterviewsAppendix B: Canadian Election Studies, 2000–11 and Ipsos-Reid Exit Polls, 2006–11Appendix C: 2015 Canadian Federal Election Panel Survey on Social DemocracyNotes; References; Index

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Book SynopsisThe New NDP traces the tumultuous shift in federal New Democratic Party’s ideology and campaigning techniques in the opening decades of the twenty-first century.Trade ReviewIn a climate of growing challenges to democratic integrity, understanding ourelectoral system is particularly important. This book’s strengths enhance public comprehension, and its gaps open pathways for further investigation. -- Lori Williams * Alberta Views *[The author], an NDP insider, describes the party’s slow but steady climb back under Jack Layton and Tom Mulcair until, after 2011, it was the Official Opposition and a government in waiting. Then in 2015, everything fell apart. The book is like a forensic accountant’s analysis of a startup’s path from concept to riches to bankruptcy. -- Crawford Kilian * The Tyee *A new book about the New Democratic party offers exceptional insights into the party’s evolution from an undisciplined ideological group to a political marketing powerhouse. Current leader Jagmeet Singh and his strategists should pick up a copy, and quick.The New NDP: Moderation, Modernization, and Political Marketing is a rare inside look at how a Canadian political party expands and retracts. It is a thorough examination of how the NDP operated under leader Alexa McDonough and transformed…Ultimately the reader-friendly manner in which he presents an astounding array of data should make The New NDP required reading for NDP strategists. Judging by public opinion polls, it would be in their best interest to consult it sooner rather than later. -- Alex Marland * The Hill Times *McGrane’s dogged research and sincere devotion to this subject allows his work to fill an important void regarding the recent political history of Canada’s party of social democracy. -- Chuck Deshaies * American Review of Canadian Studies *In The New NDP, David McGrane weaves a highly engaging and convincing narrative of the party’s trajectory from third party status, to official opposition and then dashed hopes of forming government in 2015. Although the study offers important new insights to the literature on the NDP, its empirical richness and methodological rigour make it an authoritative account of how modern campaigns are conducted in Canada more generally. The study’s methodological rigour, including the combination of theory with a mixed methods approach that draws upon a remarkable range of original data, establishes a high standard for future research in this field. -- Prize Jury, 2020 Donald Smiley PrizeTable of ContentsIntroduction1 Ferment in the Party: The Federal NDP, 2000–032 The Rise of Party Headquarters: Internal Party Organization3 Imposing Discipline and Order: The NDP inside the House of Commons4 Dare to Dream: Campaign Strategies, 2000–155 Continuity and Change: The Ideology and Policies of the NDP6 Stealing Market Share: Electoral Market Segmentation and the NDP, 2000–117 Heartbreak: Voter Behaviour and the 2015 Federal Election8 Which Way Now?Appendix A: List of Semi-Structured InterviewsAppendix B: Canadian Election Studies, 2000–11 and Ipsos-Reid Exit Polls, 2006–11Appendix C: 2015 Canadian Federal Election Panel Survey on Social DemocracyNotes; References; Index

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Book SynopsisA Long Way to Paradise is a lively account of the personalities and ideas that shaped the first hundred years of BC politics and created one of Canada’s most fractious and dynamic political scenes.Trade ReviewThis book is one of the very best histories of Canadian provincial politics. -- J. L. Granatstein, emeritus, York University * CHOICE Connect *A new history of British Columbia richly blends political history with the not-so-new social history in the late Robert A.J. McDonald’s A Long Way to Paradise. -- Gene Homel * BC Bookworld *...a masterful book that will undoubtedly be the definitive political history of British Columbia for years to come. -- Forrest Pass * The British Columbia Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction1 Confederation and the Birth of Popular Politics, 1871–832 Politics before Parties in a New Province, 1884–19023 Singing the Song of Progress in the McBride Years, 1903–154 Paradise Modern and the Party of Reform, 1916–285 Pattullo’s New Liberalism and the Revolt beyond the Rockies, 1928–416 Unsettling Capitalism during the Depression, 1933–397 The Politics of War and Keeping the Socialists at Bay, 1941–458 Right versus Left and Social Credit’s Triumph, 1945–529 Prosperity for All and Province Building in the Bennett Era, 1952–7210 Trying to Dress Up the NDP in a Saville Row Suit, 1961–7211 Bennett’s Defeat and BC’s First Social Democratic Government, 1965–72ConclusionAppendix; Notes; About the Author; Index

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Book SynopsisRevival and Change is a compelling account of the elections, accomplishments, challenges, failures, and ultimate end of the Diefenbaker era.Table of ContentsForeword: Turning Point Elections ... and the Case of the 1957 and 1958 Elections / Gerald Baier and R. Kenneth CartyPreface1 On the Cusp of Change2 The Parties Heading into the 1957 Election3 The Players in 19574 The Issues in 19575 The 1957 Campaign6 A New Parliament, a New Leader, and Another Election7 Challenges, Failures, Defeat, and Regrouping8 Legacies9 Turning Point for the Parties and the Party SystemAppendix 1: List of Key PlayersAppendix 2: Timeline of EventsAppendix 3: Data TablesNotes; Suggestions for Further Reading; Index

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Book SynopsisWith modern media and technology, the local campaign has made a comeback. Inside the Local Campaign pulls back the curtain on the inner workings of constituency-level campaigning during a Canadian federal election.Trade ReviewWhile the broad range of experiences reported here make for a significant contribution... the book’s additional value is the trove of insights into the complex and mutually interdependent relationships between candidates, staff, volunteers, and national parties. -- Jeff Costen * Literary Review of Canada *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Constituency Campaigning in Canada / Alex MarlandPart 1: Local Contests and Candidates1 Election Administration / Holly Ann Garnett2 Motivations for Federal Candidacy / Angelia Wagner3 Local Nominations / Anna Lennox Esselment and Matthew Bondy4 Recruitment of Star Candidates / Cristine de Clercy5 Ministerial Incumbency / J.P. Lewis6 Personalization of Local Candidates / Mireille Lalancette and Vincent Raynauld, with Anthony OzoraiPart 2: Campaign Management and Campaigning7 Regional Campaign Directors / Jared Wesley and Richard Maksymetz8 Campaign Managers in Constituency Campaigns / Royce Koop and Anthony M. Sayers9 Local Campaign Workers / Paul Wilson10 Voter Canvassing / Jacob Robbins-Kanter11 Local Data-Driven Campaigning / Kaija Belfry Munroe and H.D. Munroe12 Local Party Fundraising / Erin Crandall, with Kody BloisPart 3: Local Communications13 National-Local Messaging / Stéphanie Yates14 Local News / Colette Brin, with François Cormier and Myriam Descarreaux15 Local All-Candidates’ Debates and Forums / Brooks DeCillia16 Campaign Signs / Gillian Maurice and Tamara A. Small17 Local Advocacy / Thomas CollombatConclusion: The Local Is Political ... and (Still Mostly) Traditional / Thierry GiassonAppendix: Constituency Campaign Photographs Index

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Book SynopsisThe Political Party in Canada provides a comprehensive exploration of contemporary Canadian political party composition and organization and draws on rich original data to consider where power lies and how it is exercised.Table of Contents1 Political Parties and their Place in Canadian Democratic Life2 The Parties’ Members3 The Parties’ Local Associations4 The Parties’ Candidates5 The Parties’ Donors6 The Party in Central Office7 The Party in Public Office8 Political Parties and the Challenges of Complexity, Representation, and PersonalizationAfterword; Appendix; Notes; References; Index

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Book SynopsisIn 1935, Canadians went to the polls against the backdrop of the Great Depression and deteriorating international conditions. This election was like no other, as five major parties competed for voters who were used to a traditional slate of Liberals versus Conservatives. King and Chaos examines the significance of this turning point in political history.As the Conservative government splintered under the weight of outdated policies, the opposition Liberals watched the destruction. Meanwhile, the newly minted Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, Social Credit Party, and Reconstruction Party broadened the electoral base, bringing working-class Canadians and working-class issues more directly into the political process.Although Canadians ultimately swept Liberal William Lyon Mackenzie King back into power, King and Chaos demonstrates that the advent of third parties transformed the political landscape. And while other countries turned to dictators andTrade Review"Mackenzie has written a comprehensive, clear history of the 1935 Canadian general election." -- J. L. Granatstein. York University. * CHOICE Connect *Table of ContentsForeword: Turning Point Elections and the Case of the 1935 Election / Gerald Baier and R. Kenneth CartyPrefaceIntroduction1 Depression Politics2 What’s Left and Who’s Right?3 It’s Time for a New Deal4 The Campaign Begins5 King or Chaos?6 And in the EndAppendix 1: List of Key PlayersAppendix 2: Timeline of EventsNotes; Suggestions for Further Reading; Index

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Book SynopsisIdeological differences among political parties result in consistently different understandings of the national interest, Brian C. Rathbun shows. These differences between parties are critical as major international events unfold. In the first...Trade Review"Partisan Interventions makes a compelling argument for explaining European states' foreign policies toward the Balkans in the 1990s. The book is especially noteworthy for its four fascinating case studies based on a rich trove of interviews with high-level participants. Even readers who have followed these policy processes carefully will learn important new information." -- Wade Jacoby, Brigham Young University"The best kind of scholarly book, Partisan Interventions combines clear analysis with a wealth of information to demonstrate the importance of domestic politics in the making of democratic foreign policy—without pretending that it is the only prism through which to see the issue. Brian C. Rathbun offers great insights into the history of European engagement in the Balkans in the 1990s and explains how and why political parties take the positions they do. Wonderfully, he shows that while self-interest matters, so do ideas. This is an excellent book for theoreticians, historians, and practitioners." -- Anthony Lake, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, and former Clinton National Security Adviser, 1993–97"This is an excellent book about the domestic sources of foreign and defense policy in three major European states. It brings out the interplay among party ideology, partisan competition, political leadership, and policy change as French, British, and German governments responded to the collapse of Yugoslavia and to the difficult conditions of the post-Cold War European order." -- William Wallace, London School of Economics"We repeatedly hear that domestic politics matters in international relations, but few scholars systematically explore that possibility. By taking partisan politics seriously, Brian C. Rathbun adds an important and long-absent dimension to our explanations of comparative foreign policy. Partisan Interventions will serve as a model of how to address theoretically important questions with a sophisticated research design." -- Elizabeth Kier, University of Washington

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Book SynopsisChanging Politics in Japan is a fresh and insightful account of the profound changes that have shaken up the Japanese political system and transformed it almost beyond recognition in the last couple of decades. Ikuo Kabashima—a former professor who is...Trade ReviewThe study is concise and well documented with many statistics and other sources. The authors 'set out to demolish further the once prevalent myth that Japanese politics are a stagnant set of entrenched systems and interests that are fundamentally undemocratic' (p. 1)... this book provides very balanced and concise overviews of Japanese politics. -- Koji Murata * Journal of Japanese Studies *This book is rich in detail and provides a valuable summary of all of the tumultuous events that have occurred in Japanese politics since the early 1990s. A major strength of the book lies precisely in its broad sweep.... The authors provide a refreshingly balanced account that points not only to institutional but also to longer term socio-economic factors as drivers of change in Japanese politics. -- Reiko Kage * Social Science Japan Journal *Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. Citizens and Elites in the Construction of the LDP System 3. Party and Voter Dealignment: The LDP System Disintegrates 4. Changing Media, Changing Politics 5. Citizens and the Prime Minister 6. Representation and Policymaking under LDP Administrations iin the Post-1955 System 7. Voters and the Democratic Party of Japan 8. Afterword: Where to Now?Appendix A. The National Diet Appendix B. ASSK Survey Questions and Coding Appendix C. The Japan Election Study II References Index

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Book SynopsisExplains how the persistence of party institutions (factions, PARC, koenkai) and the transformed role of party leadership in Japan contributed both to the LDP's success at remaining in power for 15 years and its downfall.Trade ReviewI am on record—on the back of their book cover—as saying that Ellis Krauss and Robert Pekkanen's The Rise and Fall of Japan’s LDP is 'the best book ever written on Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party.' Despite the passage of a full year since I wrote the blurb, my enthusiasm for the book has not dulled. -- Ethan Scheiner * Social Science Japan Journal *In this excellent book the authors examine the inner workings of the LDP since it was established in 1955, a critically important topic given its dominant role in Japanese politics until 2009. It is a fascinating analysis of the institutions within the LDP and how they evolved over time. -- Jeff Kingston * The Japan Times *Krauss and Pekkanen's study is not about defeat, but survival... taking issue with more conventional and—their term—deductive interpretations of the LDP, and... with those who loaded most of the explanation of the LDP’s character and development on the nature of the SNTV MMD electoral system.... In short, Krauss and Pekkanen take aim at most of the conventional literature on the LDP and score a palpable hit. This is a convincing and persuasive analysis.... It goes without question that any scholar interested in the workings of Japanese party politics will also clearly benefit from this book. It is a major achievement. -- Peter Mair * Japanese Journal of Political Science *The greatest merit of this book is its comprehensive empirical underpinning, enabling the authors to overturn celebrated misapprehensions about Japanese politics. It is indeed a truly magisterial piece of work. -- Arthur Stockwin * Journal of Japanese Studies *This book demonstrates the limits of comparative statics approaches. Even long-time students of Japanese party politics will profit from this book. -- Mike Thies * Party Politics *When I first looked at this book, I was put off by the effusive praise of the reviews posted prominently on the back book cover. 'Best book ever written,' 'magnificent work will certainly become a classic,' 'likely to become the reference,' and 'this book will, I think, become a classic' all struck me as perhaps a bit strong in praise of this book. Thus I was surprised at my reaction after having read the book; I agreed with their hearty praise. -- Ray Christensen * Pacific Affairs *With their colorful detail and examples in this book... Krauss and Pekkanen have given us the definitive examination of the ways in which politics has changed since the seminal electoral reforms of the 1990s. -- Leonard Schoppa * Perspectives on Politics *Table of Contents1. The Liberal Democratic Party in Time 2. The Koenkai: Origin and Development of a Vote-Mobilization Machine 3. The Koenkai Today: Institutional Change 4. Factions under the Single Nontransferable Vote Mixed-Member District System 5. Factions Today 6. The Policy Affairs Research Council and Policymaking under the '55 System 7. The Policy Affairs Research Council after Reform 8. Party Leadership in the ’55 System 9. The Changing Role of Party Leadership 10. The Liberal Democratic Party out of Time?Coded Interviews References Index

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Book SynopsisMichael Todd Landis forcefully contends that a full understanding of the Civil War and its causes is impossible without a careful examination of Northern Democrats and their proslavery sentiments and activities.Trade ReviewIn Northern Men with Southern Loyalties: The Democratic Party and theSectional Crisis, Michael Todd Landis fills a gap in the literature of the Democratic Party during the late 1840s and 1850s. -- Justene Hill * Law and History Review *In this deeply researched, well-written book, Michael Todd Landis offers a scathing indictment of the northern Democratic Party in the decade before the Civil War.... Northern Men with Southern Loyalties: The Democratic Party and the Sectional Crisis should be seen as an important contribution to the vast but evolving literature on antebellum politics and the coming of the Civil War. -- Paul E. Teed * The Journal of Southern History *This is a very solidly researched, well written, and interesting account of the proslavery northern Democrats.... Landis provides our first comprehensive account of the doughfaces. But I cannot help wondering how typical his subjects were of the northern Democrats. -- Nicole Etcheson * American Historical Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Democrats and the Slave Power1. "Fidelity and Firmness": Northern Democrats and the Crises of 18502. "Harmony, Unity, and Victory": State Politics and Presidential Posturing3. "One of the Most Reliable Politicians upon This Subject of Slavery": The Rewards of Fidelity and the Perils of Power4. "Pandora's Box": Northern Democrats in Command5. "Leave Us of the North to Fight the Great Battle": Party Punishments and Purges6. "The Strongest Northern Man on Southern Principles": James Buchanan and Southern Power7. "Let Us Stand by Our Colors": Lecompton and Minority Rule8. "We Regarded You as Brothers": Defeat and Division9. "Though the Heavens Fall": 1860 and BeyondNotes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisFrom a cell of nine men in 1925, the Vietnamese Communists grew by December 1976 into a massive party with over 1.5 million members and the organizational and military capabilities to defeat the United States. What factors account for the outstanding...Trade ReviewThis book represents an important turning point in the historiography of modern Vietnam, and it is assuredly the best book on the Communist party in a major Western language.... An outstanding analysis of the first phase of the longest revolutionary struggle in modern history. * Journal of Contemporary Asia *

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Book SynopsisEnding with a discussion of possible methods of revitalization and reform, this timely book does much to explain the reasons behind Americans' disenchantment with parties and the party system.Trade ReviewThe great contribution of this book is its historical look at how different presidents have conceived of political parties. From the founding generation of Jefferson and Madison, through the reform years of Teddy Roosevelt's third party efforts, and on up to FDR's purge campaign, Milkis displays his expertise of presidential politics. Virginia Quarterly Review A fine book that deserves a large audience. -- Arthur Sanders Political StudiesTable of ContentsSeries Editor's ForewordPreface Chapter 1. Parties And American DemocracyChapter 2. Localism, Political Parties, and Democratic ParticipationChapter 3. Progressivism and Direct Democracy: The Revival Of The Constitution-Against-PartiesChapter 4. The New Deal Liberalism And The Doctrine Of Responsible Party Government Chapter 5. Remaking American Politics: Participatory Democracy And The Triumph Of Administrative PoliticsChapter 6. Divided Government And Beltway Partisanship: Can There Be Another Realignment In American Democracy?Chapter 7. Political Parties, Progressive Democracy, And The Future Of Politics In AmericaNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisOriginating about 1850 as a nativist fraternal order, the Know Nothing movement spread throughout the industrial North. This text draws on local sources in three states where the movement was especially strong to uncover its social roots and establish its relationship to public policy issues.Trade ReviewVoss-Hubbard offers not only a persuasive explanation for the rise and fall of the Know-Nothings but also provides valuable insights into the political culture of the pre-Civil War North. -- Keith Ian Polakoff History: Reviews of New Books Voss-Hubbard's contribution to understanding the Know Nothings is to explore at the local level the working of that antiparty spirit among Know Nothings... Suggestive and interesting. -- Mark E. Neely Jr. Journal of the Early Republic 2003 Voss-Hubbard argues that the antipartisanship of the Know Nothings made a major contribution to the emergence of the Republican party. This welcomed book ought to encourage further study of antebellum politics in Connecticut. -- Lawrence B. Goodheart Connecticut History 2003 Beyond Party begins a new strand of Civil War historiography, and that is a major achievement. -- Frank Towers Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 2004 A penetrating study of political culture in the mid-1850s... This book is the very rare historical monograph that is more than the sum of its parts. Choice 2004 In what is the most valuable and illuminating part of his book, Voss-Hubbard follows Know-Nothing leaders into state legislatures after their political triumph to see exactly how the antiparty party dealt with governmental responsibility. -- Stephen E. Maizlish Journal of American History 2004 In this most interesting and cogent book, Mark Voss-Hubbard recognizes the pragmatic functions of much antiparty rhetoric... His evidence also brings new understanding of the forces underlying major political realignment, confirms the high level of popular engagement in politics at such moments, and reemphasizes the power of the partisan imperative in the mid-nineteenth century. -- Donald J. Ratcliffe American Historical Review 2004 Voss-Hubbard's meticulous attention to the Know Nothings' local roots and antiparty spirit offers intriguing insights on pre-Civil War political developments. -- Vernon Volpe Annals of Iowa 2004 Voss-Hubbard provides a detailed analysis at county level of the rapid and realigning political changes that were underway. He details with skill the culture from which they came. -- Philip John Davies Journal of American StudiesTable of ContentsContents:Preface and AcknowledgmentsIntroductionPART I: Contexts One: Society and Economy Two: Cultures of Public LifePART II: Political Alternatives Three: Political Innovators: Roots of Insurgent Politics Four: "A Sudden and Sweeping Hostility to the Old Parties": Know Nothing Political CulturePART III: Political Continuities Five: The Many Faces of Gracchus: Know Nothing Government Six: North Americanism and the Republican AscendanceAppendix Notes Essay on Sources Index

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Book SynopsisThis book shows how voter anger, due to problems of corruption and poor representation, brings about party-system collapse and the rise of important outsider political leaders in South America.Trade Review"Seawright frames an intriguing question. Why did the party system, in the context of economic difficulties, collapse in Peru and Venezuela, while pressing economic problems in Argentina in 2001 did not produce the same results? The author attributes the phenomenon to voter anger over corruption and the failure of the established political parties to represent their viewpoints on the ideological spectrum. In contrast, Argentina's Peronist party adapted to the new political landscape after the failure of neoliberalism, and consequently the nation averted party breakdown. Seawright grounds his conclusions on a wealth of empirical evidence. This book is comparative politics at its best." -- Steve Ellner * author of Rethinking Venezuelan Politics: Class, Polarization and the Chávez Phenomenon *"The author [...] does a good job in marshalling the considerable amounts of empirical evidence necessary to sustain his argument . . . Seawright's book is interesting and deserves considerable scholarly attention. It takes two spectacular case studies and uses them to add significantly to the wealth of existing literature on political parties." -- George Philip * Bulletin of Spanish Studies *"Party-System Collapse opens important new avenues of research. The psychological experiment is particularly innovative, and the original survey of local party leaders in three countries will be helpful to social scientists for decades. The analyses of the implications of corruption scandals and of ideological under-representation are important contributions to the study of Latin American politics." -- Cynthia McClintock * Journal of Latin American Studies *"Seawright provides a systematic analysis of the collapse of the established political party system in Peru and Venezuela during the 1980s and 1990s, using extensive statistical measurement of public opinion to determine the apparent causes of the abrupt downfall of the dominant political parties . . . Recommended." -- S. L. Rozman * CHOICE *"Seawright offers the best explanation I've read for the collapse of party systems in Peru and Venezuela. He succeeds in coherently weaving together many factors—psychological, economic, institutional, ideological—with sophisticated methodology, and also provides an exemplary study of the roles of leadership and mass opinion in regime change." -- Michael Coppedge * University of Notre Dame *

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Book SynopsisIn this first book to fully examine the development of the American Socialist Party in the Northwest, Jeffrey Johnson draws a sharp picture of one of the most vigorous left-wing organisations of this era. Relying on party newspapers, pamphlets, and correspondence, he allows socialists to reveal their own strategies as they pursued their agendas.Trade Review“Johnson places northwestern socialists within a broad consideration of American political culture in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, paying attention to the distinctive regional features that made the Northwest one of the leading centers of American socialist growth in those years. This book is a solid contribution to both regional and U.S. Left history.” - Maurice Isserman, author of If I Had a Hammer: The Death of the Old Left and the Birth of the New Left“Johnson makes a valuable contribution to an area and historical moment that has received too little attention. His institutional history of the regional chapters of the Socialist Party places the story of socialism within the context of western labor and political history.” - Choice“Jeff Johnson’s They Are All Red Out Here is a masterful examination of democratic socialism when it was in its heyday in the Pacific Northwest. Johnson provides a well-researched, scholarly study that is a significant contribution to the history of the Pacific Northwest and to the history of socialism in the United States.” - Greg Hall, author of Harvest Wobblies: The Industrial Workers of the World and Agricultural Laborers in the American West, 1905–1930“Simply put, one of the best books ever written on socialism in the West.” - Erik Loomis, author of A History of American in Ten Strikes and Empire of Timber: Labor Unions and the Pacific Northwest Forests“Johnson has written a highly readable monograph that accomplishes its goal of providing an institutional history of the Socialist party in the Pacific Northwest. He has done a fine job of filling a void in the historiography.” - Journal of American History“Johnson’s treatment of the movement’s factionalism is the book’s most important interpretive achievement . . . an important contribution to the literature of the American socialist movement.” - American Historical Review“They Are All Red Out Here is concise and reflects the years Johnson researched state historical societies and archives, examining Socialist Party documents, pamphlets, and newspapers. Johnson has clearly established himself as an expert in his field with his first book, which is highly recommended to all students of labor and Pacific Northwest history.” - Pacific Historical Review

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Book SynopsisIn his narrative history of black Republicans in the twentieth century, Joshua Farrington reevaluates the relationship between black politicians, activists, and voters and the Republican Party, challenging the assumption that African Americans abandoned the "Party of Lincoln" after 1936.Trade Review"Farrington . . . remind[s] us that the great migration from the 'party of Lincoln' did not happen all at once-or once and for all. A significant minority of African-Americans resisted the appeal of the New Deal, and many of those who embraced Franklin Roosevelt continued to vote Republican in down-ballot races. National politics provide Farrington with a sturdy frame, but what makes his book special is his painstaking re-creation of scores of little-known state and local activists and a lost world of two-party competition." * New York Times Book Review *"Farrington's history of African Americans in the Republican Party provides nuanced insight into the fluidity of both the black political landscape and the GOP, two groups that whose political histories have often been over-determined. . . . This story of seemingly paradoxical black Republicans is much needed in this political moment." * Atlanta Studies *"Joshua D. Farrington has given scholars, pundits, and the general public the timeliest book yet about how the GOP purged itself of racial minorities and cast its lot with America's declining white majority. A book that is at once complex and clear, Black Republicans and the Transformation of the GOP is a must read for any student of politics or history interested in how the GOP's failed answers to the race question have pushed a once-great national party to the brink of political self-destruction." * Devin Fergus, The Ohio State University *"Drawing impressively on a wide range of primary sources, underpinned by a mastery of the relevant historiography, Black Republicans and the Transformation of the GOP is full of fascinating detail about how black Republicans worked hard to push their party toward engagement with issues of civil rights." * Robert Mason, University of Edinburgh *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Adam Hilton’s True Blues skillfully demonstrates how the New Politics movement both succeeded and failed to achieve its goals. In his telling, the hard-fought battle between extra-party groups from the New Left — the civil rights, feminist, and antiwar movements and the labor unions allied with them — and established officeholders shaped the Democrats into the party it is today." * Jacobin *"In this imaginative, lively book on the history of the Democratic Party, Hilton offers a challenge to existing scholarship on the evolution of the Democratic Party since the end of the New Deal. Instead of affirming the role of party leaders and officeholders as the main force in shaping the party’s direction, this book argues that 'conflict between extra-party groups' controlled political changes...This study allows for a greater understanding of the change that has taken and continues to take place in the Democratic Party." * Choice *"True Blues offers an excellent history of internal Democratic Party dynamics, consistent with but expanding on useful general political science histories…Hilton’s model of change, where party entrepreneurs take advantage of a crisis, face an electoral test, and then struggle against opponents, is a useful addition to understanding American parties, as is his description of the Democratic Party as an ‘advocacy party.’" * Party Politics *"!n True Blues, Adam Hilton offers a comprehensive look into the process of layered reform that created the modern Democratic Party...[A] compelling read for those pondering the major questions facing Democrats today." * Comparative Politics *"[A]n important book with a rich and detailed account of reform and counter-reform that would be most useful to anyone seeking to understand just what the modern Democratic Party is and how it got to be that way. Students, scholars, and political journalists will find much in here of value, and it is indispensable for those seeking to describe the past half century of Democratic Party politics." * Forum Review *

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Book SynopsisThis pioneering collection of essays explores the paradoxical nature of civil rights politics in the years following the 1960s civil rights movement by chronicling the ways in which presidential politics both advanced and constrained the quest for racial equality in the United States.Trade ReviewThis remarkable study offers breakthrough findings and insights about the state of civil rights policies in the post–civil rights era."" - Hanes Walton Jr., coauthor of American Politics and the African American Quest for Universal Freedom""Eschewing easy absolutes, Winning While Losing presents a carefully nuanced interpretation of the subtle gains and losses experienced by liberals and conservatives, by Democrats and Republicans, and by proponents of racial justice and their opponents"". - Harvard Sitkoff, author of Toward Freedom Land

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Book SynopsisThe contributors to Southern Political Party Activists examine both the development of American political party organizations and the changing political character of the South, focusing on grassroots party activists-those who are involved in party organizations at the county level.Trade ReviewA superlative collection with a first-rate lineup of scholars. - Ted G. JelenTable of Contents"A Godsend to the Country?" Roosevelt, Willkie and the Election of 1940 FDR's Closest Contender: Thomas E. Dewey and the 1944 Election Containing Challenges: The Triumphs of Harry Truman in the Presidential Election of 1948 Confirming the Cold War Consensus: Eisenhower and the 1952 Election When Public Opinion Does Not Shape Foreign Policy: Suez, Hungary, and Eisenhower in the 1956 Presidential Election Leadership Experience in the Cold War: Cuba, Khrushchev, and Quemoy-Matsu in the 1960 Presidential Election Campaign The Virtues of Moderation: Foreign Policy and the 1964 Presidential Election Every Way Out: Vietnam, American National Identity, and the 1968 Presidential Election The Peace Candidate: Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and the Election of 1972 Dealing with Defeat: Gerald R. Ford, Foreign Policy, and the 1976 Election The Domestic Politics of War and Peace: Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and the Election of 1980 1984, Regional Crises and Morning in America: The Predawn of the Reagan Era Ending the Cold War Without Debate: Foreign Policy and the 1988 Election Internationalism Challenged: Foreign Policy Issues in the 1992 Presidential Election Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThe contributors to Southern Political Party Activists examine both the development of American political party organizations and the changing political character of the South, focusing on grassroots party activists-those who are involved in party organizations at the county level.Trade ReviewA superlative collection with a first-rate lineup of scholars. - Ted G. Jelen

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisAssesses how the news media covered the extraordinary 2016 US presidential election and, more importantly, what information - true, false, or somewhere in between - actually helped voters make up their minds. The evidence uncovered shows how Donald Trump's victory, and Hillary Clinton's loss, resulted in large part from how the news media responded to these two unique candidates.

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Book Synopsis Curing the causes and consequences of Trumpism It''s no secret that the United States faces extraordinary political and societal challenges, even as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Political polarization and extremism are the most apparent symptoms, resulting from long-term economic and social inequities as well as a toxic information ecosystem. It is easy to blame Donald Trump for the sad state of American democracy. After all, he abused his executive authority, spread false claims, and even incited violence. But Trumpism is almost certain to outlast Trump himself. The grievances he exploited and the aggrieved to whom he appealed existed well before he became president and likely will endure after he is gone from the political scene. The current political atmosphere is poisonous for those who operate on the basis of facts, reason, and logic. It is time to step back from this dangerous precipice and reflect on the causes of the serious threats to American democracy, procedural justice, and a reason-based society. With polarization now entrenched and authoritarianism gaining strength, no one should assume that facts somehow will triumph over falsehoods and reason will prevail over emotion. Drawing on his personal experiences in the D.C. policy world, Darrell West offers advice for protecting people, organizations, and the country as a whole from our contemporary challenges. This book makes the risks to democracy understandable by explaining specific threats and offering concrete ideas for ameliorating them. It will appeal to anyone interested in American politics, democracy, elections, mass media, technology, and governance.

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