Zoltan Barany
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691137681
- eISBN:
- 9781400845491
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691137681.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
This introductory chapter provides a background of democratization and the building of democratic armies. Democratization and the building of democratic armies usually commences in response to a ...
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This introductory chapter provides a background of democratization and the building of democratic armies. Democratization and the building of democratic armies usually commences in response to a major change that shocks the political system and sets it on a new path. The pivotal event may have been a long time coming or triggered in response to exogenous causes. Scholars of historical institutionalism refer to these events as “formative moments” or “critical junctures,” when the path of an organization or institution is set, confirmed, or changed. This book considers three contexts that follow such formative moments: after war, during regime change, and following state formation. The two subcategories of state transformation taken up in this study are those following colonialism, when a former colony becomes one or more independent state(s), and after (re)unification or apartheid, when two different political or social entities are joined.Less
This introductory chapter provides a background of democratization and the building of democratic armies. Democratization and the building of democratic armies usually commences in response to a major change that shocks the political system and sets it on a new path. The pivotal event may have been a long time coming or triggered in response to exogenous causes. Scholars of historical institutionalism refer to these events as “formative moments” or “critical junctures,” when the path of an organization or institution is set, confirmed, or changed. This book considers three contexts that follow such formative moments: after war, during regime change, and following state formation. The two subcategories of state transformation taken up in this study are those following colonialism, when a former colony becomes one or more independent state(s), and after (re)unification or apartheid, when two different political or social entities are joined.
Nelson W. Polsby
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195182965
- eISBN:
- 9780199850235
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195182965.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
This chapter gives a closer examination of the trends that made the transformation from an environment hostile to the programs possible, with special attention to the issue of why it took so long. It ...
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This chapter gives a closer examination of the trends that made the transformation from an environment hostile to the programs possible, with special attention to the issue of why it took so long. It took time, and trial and error, for Democrats to rediscover the caucus as an instrument for mainstream policy-making and policy enforcement. Rayburn’s successors in the leadership, Speakers John McCormack, and Carl Albert, were hesitant and took few initiatives of their own, but did respond to initiatives by the Democratic Study Group. The causes of the liberalization of the US House of Representatives are over-determined. From the 1960s onward, north-to-south migration accelerated the transformation of the South into a region showing greater similarities to other parts of the country with its suburban Republicans and retirees voting according to habits they had picked up in their places of origin. Finally, the Southern Republicans in the 1990s are described.Less
This chapter gives a closer examination of the trends that made the transformation from an environment hostile to the programs possible, with special attention to the issue of why it took so long. It took time, and trial and error, for Democrats to rediscover the caucus as an instrument for mainstream policy-making and policy enforcement. Rayburn’s successors in the leadership, Speakers John McCormack, and Carl Albert, were hesitant and took few initiatives of their own, but did respond to initiatives by the Democratic Study Group. The causes of the liberalization of the US House of Representatives are over-determined. From the 1960s onward, north-to-south migration accelerated the transformation of the South into a region showing greater similarities to other parts of the country with its suburban Republicans and retirees voting according to habits they had picked up in their places of origin. Finally, the Southern Republicans in the 1990s are described.
Shannon K. O'Neil
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- February 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199390007
- eISBN:
- 9780190252441
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199390007.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
Five freshly decapitated human heads are thrown onto a crowded dance floor in western Mexico. A Mexican drug cartel dismembers the body of a rival and then stitches his face onto a soccer ball. These ...
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Five freshly decapitated human heads are thrown onto a crowded dance floor in western Mexico. A Mexican drug cartel dismembers the body of a rival and then stitches his face onto a soccer ball. These are the sorts of grisly tales that dominate the media, infiltrate movies and TV shows, and ultimately shape Americans’ perception of Mexico as a dangerous and scary place, overrun by brutal drug lords. Without a doubt, the drug war is real. In the last six years, over 60,000 people have been murdered in narco-related crimes. But, there is far more to Mexico’s story than this gruesome narrative would suggest. While thugs have been grabbing the headlines, Mexico has undergone an unprecedented and under-publicized political, economic, and social transformation. This book argues that the United States is making a grave mistake by focusing on the politics of antagonism toward Mexico. Rather, they should wake up to the revolution of prosperity now unfolding there. The news that isn’t being reported is that, over the last decade, Mexico has become a real democracy, providing its citizens a greater voice and opportunities to succeed on their own side of the border. Armed with higher levels of education, upwardly-mobile men and women have been working their way out of poverty, building the largest, most stable middle class in Mexico’s history.Less
Five freshly decapitated human heads are thrown onto a crowded dance floor in western Mexico. A Mexican drug cartel dismembers the body of a rival and then stitches his face onto a soccer ball. These are the sorts of grisly tales that dominate the media, infiltrate movies and TV shows, and ultimately shape Americans’ perception of Mexico as a dangerous and scary place, overrun by brutal drug lords. Without a doubt, the drug war is real. In the last six years, over 60,000 people have been murdered in narco-related crimes. But, there is far more to Mexico’s story than this gruesome narrative would suggest. While thugs have been grabbing the headlines, Mexico has undergone an unprecedented and under-publicized political, economic, and social transformation. This book argues that the United States is making a grave mistake by focusing on the politics of antagonism toward Mexico. Rather, they should wake up to the revolution of prosperity now unfolding there. The news that isn’t being reported is that, over the last decade, Mexico has become a real democracy, providing its citizens a greater voice and opportunities to succeed on their own side of the border. Armed with higher levels of education, upwardly-mobile men and women have been working their way out of poverty, building the largest, most stable middle class in Mexico’s history.
Michael Bowen
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- July 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780807834855
- eISBN:
- 9781469602752
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of North Carolina Press
- DOI:
- 10.5149/9780807869192_bowen.12
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
This chapter discusses the fundamental transformation brought about by the presidential election of 1952 on the nearly decade-long power struggle between Taft and Dewey. Eisenhower's nomination left ...
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This chapter discusses the fundamental transformation brought about by the presidential election of 1952 on the nearly decade-long power struggle between Taft and Dewey. Eisenhower's nomination left Dewey optimistic. Eisenhower was a legitimate political phenomenon who connected with voters of all races, classes, and regions. His involvement had led to a tripling of the turnout in the New Hampshire primary, and he polled strongly among Democrats and independents everywhere, something no Republican had done since the 1920s. Political columnists saw Eisenhower as a 1950s incarnation of Franklin Roosevelt, right down to his charming smile and disarming demeanor, and they repeatedly claimed that he could reshape the Republican Party just as Franklin D. Roosevelt had transformed the Democratic Party twenty years earlier. At the core of their analysis was Dewey's set of “forward-looking principles,” the moderate, inclusive style of Republicanism central to his 1944 and 1948 presidential bids.Less
This chapter discusses the fundamental transformation brought about by the presidential election of 1952 on the nearly decade-long power struggle between Taft and Dewey. Eisenhower's nomination left Dewey optimistic. Eisenhower was a legitimate political phenomenon who connected with voters of all races, classes, and regions. His involvement had led to a tripling of the turnout in the New Hampshire primary, and he polled strongly among Democrats and independents everywhere, something no Republican had done since the 1920s. Political columnists saw Eisenhower as a 1950s incarnation of Franklin Roosevelt, right down to his charming smile and disarming demeanor, and they repeatedly claimed that he could reshape the Republican Party just as Franklin D. Roosevelt had transformed the Democratic Party twenty years earlier. At the core of their analysis was Dewey's set of “forward-looking principles,” the moderate, inclusive style of Republicanism central to his 1944 and 1948 presidential bids.
Jennifer M. Denbow
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- September 2016
- ISBN:
- 9781479828838
- eISBN:
- 9781479808977
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- NYU Press
- DOI:
- 10.18574/nyu/9781479828838.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
The introduction makes the case that heightened social concern about reproductive decisions has coincided with an increased ability to manage reproduction. Reproductive technology has facilitated the ...
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The introduction makes the case that heightened social concern about reproductive decisions has coincided with an increased ability to manage reproduction. Reproductive technology has facilitated the increased management and control of procreation. Such an increase in the ability to make choices and manage oneself has enabled increased external surveillance and governance of the self. Additionally, the introduction explains the two understandings of autonomy—as proper self-governance and as critique and transformation—on which the subsequent analysis relies. It also explores some of the key critiques of autonomy in feminist theory and poststructuralism, and argues that these critiques apply to the tradition of autonomy as proper self-governance, but not to the tradition of autonomy as critique and transformation. The introduction also provides an overview of the central contributions of the book, as well as an outline of its structure.Less
The introduction makes the case that heightened social concern about reproductive decisions has coincided with an increased ability to manage reproduction. Reproductive technology has facilitated the increased management and control of procreation. Such an increase in the ability to make choices and manage oneself has enabled increased external surveillance and governance of the self. Additionally, the introduction explains the two understandings of autonomy—as proper self-governance and as critique and transformation—on which the subsequent analysis relies. It also explores some of the key critiques of autonomy in feminist theory and poststructuralism, and argues that these critiques apply to the tradition of autonomy as proper self-governance, but not to the tradition of autonomy as critique and transformation. The introduction also provides an overview of the central contributions of the book, as well as an outline of its structure.
Eric Schickler
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780691153872
- eISBN:
- 9781400880973
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691153872.003.0011
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
This concluding chapter discusses the theoretical and methodological implications of the civil rights case, with a focus on party theory and on the challenges of systematically studying major ...
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This concluding chapter discusses the theoretical and methodological implications of the civil rights case, with a focus on party theory and on the challenges of systematically studying major political transformations. The civil rights case underscores important features of party politics that are in tension with the assumption that parties are coherent entities reflecting stable coalitional bargains. Most important, American parties are federal in structure, with the result that politicians in different states and congressional districts answer to different core constituent groups. There is no guarantee that these constituencies will view one another as allies when it comes to the major policy challenges facing the country. Indeed, at times, politicians with one kind of electoral base and those with a very different base may view weakening the other party faction as essential to their own political future. The chapter then explores the civil rights realignment's implications for today's politics.Less
This concluding chapter discusses the theoretical and methodological implications of the civil rights case, with a focus on party theory and on the challenges of systematically studying major political transformations. The civil rights case underscores important features of party politics that are in tension with the assumption that parties are coherent entities reflecting stable coalitional bargains. Most important, American parties are federal in structure, with the result that politicians in different states and congressional districts answer to different core constituent groups. There is no guarantee that these constituencies will view one another as allies when it comes to the major policy challenges facing the country. Indeed, at times, politicians with one kind of electoral base and those with a very different base may view weakening the other party faction as essential to their own political future. The chapter then explores the civil rights realignment's implications for today's politics.
Shannon K. O’Neil
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- February 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199390007
- eISBN:
- 9780190252441
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199390007.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
This chapter focuses on Mexico’s promising future as it continues to experience economic, political, and social transformation led by a rising middle class, enterprising individuals and ...
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This chapter focuses on Mexico’s promising future as it continues to experience economic, political, and social transformation led by a rising middle class, enterprising individuals and organizations, and increasingly demanding voters. It considers the negative portrayal of Mexico in the United States, particularly the persistence of violence caused by drug trafficking organizations as well as assassinations and other crimes. It argues that the United States’s assessment of the situation in Mexico does not tell the whole story, and that there are positive developments happening in Mexico. The chapter looks towards Mexico’s progress as a consolidating democracy, along with its urbanization and opening economy. It contends that Mexico is at a crossroads in terms of politics, economy, and social identity, and that the country can help the United States address its own economic, security, and international diplomatic challenges.Less
This chapter focuses on Mexico’s promising future as it continues to experience economic, political, and social transformation led by a rising middle class, enterprising individuals and organizations, and increasingly demanding voters. It considers the negative portrayal of Mexico in the United States, particularly the persistence of violence caused by drug trafficking organizations as well as assassinations and other crimes. It argues that the United States’s assessment of the situation in Mexico does not tell the whole story, and that there are positive developments happening in Mexico. The chapter looks towards Mexico’s progress as a consolidating democracy, along with its urbanization and opening economy. It contends that Mexico is at a crossroads in terms of politics, economy, and social identity, and that the country can help the United States address its own economic, security, and international diplomatic challenges.
Shannon K. O’Neil
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- February 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199390007
- eISBN:
- 9780190252441
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199390007.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
This chapter focuses on Mexico’s achievements despite the persistence of poverty, corruption, crime, and violence. More specifically, it cites the country’s fundamental political, economic, and ...
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This chapter focuses on Mexico’s achievements despite the persistence of poverty, corruption, crime, and violence. More specifically, it cites the country’s fundamental political, economic, and social transformation, including its transition from authoritarianism to democracy and the rise of the middle class. It also considers the steps being taken by the government to improve security and strengthen its democratic rule of law, as well as the challenges and problems still facing Mexico and the role of the United States in helping its neighbor overcome those challenges, mainly through enhanced partnership. The chapter concludes by looking at the politics of a U.S.-Mexico partnership.Less
This chapter focuses on Mexico’s achievements despite the persistence of poverty, corruption, crime, and violence. More specifically, it cites the country’s fundamental political, economic, and social transformation, including its transition from authoritarianism to democracy and the rise of the middle class. It also considers the steps being taken by the government to improve security and strengthen its democratic rule of law, as well as the challenges and problems still facing Mexico and the role of the United States in helping its neighbor overcome those challenges, mainly through enhanced partnership. The chapter concludes by looking at the politics of a U.S.-Mexico partnership.
