by Michael G. Roskin
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Product Description
Introduces the concepts and vocabulary of Comparative Politics through a country-by-country analysis and recent case studies. By demonstrating that political life is universal and comparable, the text also proves that no country is really alien, but rather that all countries are understandable. Identifies the key institutions , political culture and patterns of interaction in Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, China, Brazil, South Africa and Iran. For individuals interested in understanding the inner workings of 9 major, contemporary political systems.
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Average Customer Review:
1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
 opinionated, 2007-06-01
While there is some good analysis in this textbook, there is a lot of unsupported opinion and flat out falsities. The author has some personal analysis that he does not support at all. I'll use the section on Russia as an example.
At points he groups entire peoples into categories, saying for instance that Russians like authoritarianism.
The author brings personal opinion into the text, saying that "it is not clear that had Lenin lived he would have been any better than Stalin." He also claims that Marxism is basically dead. On Marxism, he claims that the bourgeoisie are the middle class and that because the the middle class has grown in developed countries and done well, Marxists are wrong. Does he not know that the bourgeoisie in Marxism mean the class that profits from production but does not produce, meaning a tiny minority NOT including the vast majority of the middle class!!
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 Excellent service and product is as described, 2006-11-10
Excellent service and product received was as described. Thanx will do business again.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
A good concept, 2005-02-25
You won't find this book generally in the bookstore, unless you're in the college bookstore, looking on the shelf marked 'Required'. Most likely you would never want to read this book even if it was required. Flipping through the table of contents and the pages, it screams textbook. It even has vocabulary words at the end of each chapter. How much more dry, dull, and boring can you get?
Fr. Kurt, what are you doing reviewing this book? Don't tell us you're actually going to recommend this book to us!? Please don't tell us that!!
Yes, I recommend this book.
Sorry. I have an undergraduate degree in political science, have taught political science, and have a large collection of sample texts that I have been sent in hopes that I would teach some large 400-student introductory politics class and use the book. Most of these books have been traded for more worthwhile books at the local used book stores. This book, however, 'Countries & Concepts: An Introduction to Comparative Politics', by Michael Roskin, is one that I had to purchase. And I've used it in earlier editions. And I shall again in this and later editions.
Despite the textbook-layout (which is in fact fine, if one wants a textbook, and only a minor inconvenience if one does not), this is an insightful, informative, clearly-written text, with a much broader range that goes into deeper detail than most of its type. This is why I use it.
This is a text for those who have already had American politics -- I didn't want to rehash the first-semester material, so I chose a book that did not have an American section or chapter. If I were to choose a more complete volume, I would consider that a minus.
Roskin begins with a chapter on general political concepts. He explores concepts such as left, right, and centre designations (and how these vary, or are similar, in different contexts); historical data that is necessary for understanding, patterns of interaction, political attitudes and ideologies, and finally, my favourite chapters in each section, 'What People Quarrel About'.
Roskin has major sections on Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, China, Brazil, and South Africa. In each section he examines the key institutions of government and society (not always the same things), impact of the past, political attitudes, interactions, and the quarrels. For instance, racism pops up as a quarrel in different countries, but has different dimensions. Nationalism might be strong in one country, and not in another. The attitudes toward wealth and wealth distribution are common quarrels, although the mechanisms and conclusions are different.
The quarrel sections always provide the best material for class discussions, particularly as students bring their own issues up. This is what, in the end, comparative politics is all about.
I applaud this book for breaking out of the European-only model of comparative politics. I appreciate that Africa and South America are included (often overlooked in major political survey texts). While it is still European-dominated (as is the general course of international politics in the world today), it echoes the diversity inherent in the world.
The text is filled with sidebars of interest, and yes, if you care to, you can even do the vocabulary tests at the end. Each chapter has a bibliography for further reading. The book tends to be updated every three-to-four years, so that it is not out of date.
Let me know when to set the date for your examination...
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Great oversight on comparative politics., 2001-11-05
I am using this book for my comparative politics class at Case Western, and unlike most of my textbooks, this text is actually interesting to read.The book gives excellent coverage on the general ideas without going to deep into detail for most people. Once you read this book you will understand British, French, German, and Japanese politics better than you did before. I came out knowing more than I thought I would. However, there is no colour in this book at all. The pictures and illustrations are completely black and white, except for some red highlights at the beginning of the chapters. That seems to be my only problem with the book. The book goes into the political systems of each of the individual countries stated before, but Roskin also goes into the reasons behind the political systems in place. History, geography and cultural effects are discussed in easy to follow ways, both logically and structurally. This is an excellent reference for any history or political science student, or for anyone looking to learn more. That's why I am recommending this book.
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