This brief,nuts-and-boltsintroduction to American government has been a student favorite and a bestseller forover 30years because of its lively, straight-forwardapproach to the basics, its brevity,and itsalways inexpensive price.
This text uses a dynamic game metaphor to engagestudents in the basics ofthe American political system and the contact sport of politics.Beginning with a clear definition of politics, it introducesfour governmental and four nongovernmental playerswho must abide by the rules of the gameestablished by the Constitution and civil liberties. It ends by examining rival theories of who wins and who loses in American politics. Written to engage students and lay a flexible foundation for instructors, The Basics of American Politics covers all the terms and topics behind the current news, situating politics in the classroom and beyond.
