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As an introductory text in comparative study, this work begins with the assumption that students should examine a variety of perspectives and explore alternative possibilities as a means of arousing curiosity, stimulating creativity, building interest and self-motivation, and enhancing understanding of complex issues in politics and political economy.The book provides the student with the foundations for comparative inquiry. Its purpose is threefold: to sketch an overview of the major theories and concepts; to expose issues, summarize arguments and counter-arguments; and to encourage the beginning student to pursue critical thinking in the recognition that mainstream ideas deserve scrutiny, many essential questions remain unsettled, and that the outcome may result in the formulation and reinforcement of a personal perspective, premised on one's individual learning.The principal chapters focus on important themes and dichotomies of theory with attention to institutional frameworks (state and system approaches), the social dimension (class and group formations), the cultural dimension (individual and collective preferences), the economic dimension (capitalist and socialist development), and the political dimension (representative and participatory democracy)

This book explores comparative political theory through the study of a range of places and periods with contributions from a diverse group of scholars. The volume builds on recent work in political theory, seeking to focus scholarly attention on non-Western thought in order to contribute to both political theory and our understanding of the modern globalized world. Featuring discussions of international law and imperialism, regions such as South Asia and Latin America, religions such as Buddhism and Islam, along with imperialism and revolution, the volume also includes an overview of comparative political theory. Contributing scholars deploy a variety of methodological and interpretive approaches, ranging from archival research to fieldwork to close studies of texts in the original language. The volume elucidates the pluralism and dissensus that characterizes both cross-national and intra-national political thought

Cover Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Notes on Contributors -- Preface -- 1 Political Corruption: Causes and Consequences -- 2 Corruption in the United States: The Access Market -- 3 Corruption in Brazil -- 4 Corruption in Russia: Past, Present, and Future -- 5 Corruption in China: Red Capitalists on Parade -- 6 Corruption and Governance in South Asia -- 7 Corruption in the Palestinian Authority and Israel Vaughn P. Shannon -- 8 Corruption at the United Nations: A Nonprofit, Humanitarian Organization Confronts Ethical and Financial Misconduct -- 9 Changing Political Culture by Combating Corruption: The Role of Democratization NGOs in South Africa, Tajikistan, and Argentina -- 10 Conclusion: Comparative Corruption and the Challenge of Reform -- Index.

Citizens have lost trust in their institutions of public governance. In trying to fix the problem, presidents and prime ministers have misdiagnosed the patient, failing to recognize that government bureaucracies are inseparable from political institutions. As a result, career officials have become adroit at managing the blame game but much less so at embracing change. Donald Savoie looks to the United States, Great Britain, France, and Canada to assess two of the most important challenges confronting governments throughout the Western world: the concentration of political power and the changing role of government bureaucracy. The four countries have distinct institutions shaped by distinct histories, but what they have in common is a professional non-partisan civil service. When presidents and prime ministers decide to expand their personal authority, national institutions must adjust while bureaucracies grow to fill the gap, paradoxically further constricting government efficacy. The side effects are universal - political power is increasingly centralized; Parliament, Congress, and the National Assembly have been weakened; Cabinet has lost standing; political parties have been debased; and civil services have been knocked off their moorings. Reduced responsibility and increased transparency make civil servants slow to take risks and politicians quick to point fingers. Government astutely diagnoses the problem of declining trust in government: presidents and prime ministers have failed to see that efficacy in government is tied to well-performing institutions