Republic at Risk: An Introduction to American Politics (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781108487757)

When people have the freedom to further their own personal interests in politics, the results may be disastrous. Chaos? Tyranny? Can a political system be set up to avoid these pitfalls, while still granting citizens and politicians the freedom to pursue their interests? Republic at Risk is a concise and engaging introduction to American politics. The guiding theme is the problem of self-interest in politics, which James Madison took as his starting point in his defense of representative government in Federalist 10 and 51. Madison believed that unchecked self-interest in politics was a risk to a well-ordered and free society. But he also held that political institutions could be designed to harness self-interest for the greater good. Putting Madison's theory to the test, the authors examine modern challenges to the integrity and effectiveness of US policy-making institutions, inviting readers to determine how best to respond to these risks.

Author: Walter J. Stone, James A. McCann
ISBN-10: 1108487750
ISBN-13: 9781108487757
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 06/03/2021
Pages: 280
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.60lbs
Size: 10.10h x 7.80w x 0.60d