Promise and Performance of American Democracy

Grounded in basic political science research, yet readily accessible to undergraduates, PROMISE AND PERFORMANCE uses the title's theme as an organizing framework for studying American Politics. The promise of democracy is analyzed using four core values: Popular Sovereignty, Political Freedom, Political Equality and Majority Rule/Minority Rights and is further explored in several new features including "Living the Promise" and "Promise and Policy" boxes. The performance part of the theme is then integrated with an assessment at the end of every chapter along with a concluding policy chapter. Solid scholarship and writing makes this an ideal text not just for reading and learning, but also as an example of how political science is researched and written by the practitioners in academia.

Jon R. Bond, Professor of Political Science at Texas AandM University, received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research analyzes the policy making process and the operation of democracy in American politics. Professor Bond has published articles on presidential-congressional relations, congressional elections, and public policy in the discipline's major journals and is coauthor of THE PRESIDENT IN THE LEGISLATIVE ARENA and coeditor of POLARIZED POLITICS: CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT IN A PARTISAN ERA. In 1987-88, Dr. Bond was a Congressional Fellow, working on the staffs of Senator Lloyd Bentsen and Representative Norman Mineta. He has served as coeditor of the Journal of Politics, and on the Executive Councils of the Midwest Political Science Association, Pi Sigma Alpha, and the Southern Political Science Association. He served as Vice President of the Southern Political Science Association.