Understanding Principles of Politics and the State

Originally published under the title Principles of Politics, this completely revised and updated work is a study in applied political theory. It uses current political society and politics as its backdrop and shows that the nature, authority, origin, and purpose of the state are dictated by fundamental theoretical and practical principles linked to the goals and values of ordinary life. Helpful in the quest for understanding our depictions of the political world by ancient philosophers as well as contemporary political scientists.

With detailed examples, Understanding Principles of Politics and the State examines the charge that democracy is a myth, describes the world of academic political science, and belies the cynicism that principles and politics do not go together. An efficient and effective organizing principle is used to explain justice, rights, groups, church and state, federalism, constitutionalism, and even proposals for "world government." A brief case study of the Philippines illustrates some basic principles of state building. A preference for presidential over parliamentary government stands at odds with the view of many commentators. The necessity for principles in understanding ubiquitous change ends the book.

John J. Schrems is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Villanova University. He is the coauthor of Future Politics, coeditor of On the Intelligibility of Political Philosophy, and author of numerous academic journal articles on ancient, modern, and contemporary theory.