The first truly pan-European survey of contemporary European politics that includes nations from both Western and Eastern Europeas well as a separate chapter on the European Union, European Politics Today continues to offer the most current scholarship available.

Table of Contents

Preface. PartI.Introduction. 1. The European Context. The Purpose and Organization of this Book. The Emergence of Today's Europe. European Integration. Describing Europe: Large and Small Countries. Describing Europe: Rich and Poor Countries. Social Development and Welfare in Europe. Development, Modernization, and Democracy. Ethnic and Religious Conflict in Europe. Further Democratization? 2. Democratic Political Culture and Political Action. The Cultural Foundations of Democracy. The Levels of a Political Culture. Participation and Democracy. The Public and Democracy. 3. European Interest Groups and Parties. The Types of Interest Groups. Interest Group Systems. Interest Groups and Policy Making. Parties and Party Competition. 4. Democratic Government and Public Policy in Europe. Constitutional Organization: Rules for Making Rules. Limiting and Dispersing Policymaking Power. Constitutional Organization: Electoral Rules. Government Formation and Policymaking. Democratic Policies and Welfare in Europe. The Rule of Law, Corruption, and Democracy. Introducing and Sustaining Democracy. Part II. The Established Democracies. 5. Politics in England. Current Policy Challenges. The Constraints of History. The Environment of Politics. The Structure of Government. Political Culture and Legitimacy. Political Socialization. Political Participation and Recruitment. Organizing Group Interests. Party System and Electoral Choice. Central Authority and Decentralized Delivery of Government Policies. Policy Outcomes and Changes in Society. 6. Politics in France. Current Policy Challenges. A Historical Perspective. Economy and Society. Constitution and Governmental Structure. Political Culture. Political Socialization. Recruitment and Style of Ethics. Interest Groups. Political Parties. Political Parties and Patterns of Voting. Policy Processes. The State and Territorial Relations. Performance and Prospects. 7. Politics in Germany. Current Policy Challenges. The Historical Legacy. Following Two Paths. Social Forces. The Institutions and Structure of Government. Remaking Political Cultures. Political Learning and Political Communication. Citizen Participation. Politics at the Elite Level. Interest Groups. The Party System. The Electoral System. The Policy Process. Policy Performance. Addressing the Policy Challenges. After the Revolution. 8. Politics in Spain. Policy Challenges. The Historical Legacy. Democracy and Spain's Historical Cleavages. Resolving the Center-Periphery Cleavage. Structure and Process of the Political System. Spanish Political Culture. Political Socialization. Interest Groups. Electoral Competition in Spain. Policy Performance and Outcomes. The Peaceful Disappearance of the Two Spains. Part III. Democratic Transitions. 9. Politics in Russia. Rebuilding Russia. Current Policy Challenges. Historical Legacies. The Contemporary Constitutional Order. Russian Political Culture in the Post-Soviet Period. Political Participation. Interest Articulation: From Statism to Pluralism. Parties and the Aggregation of Interests. The Politics of Economic Reform. Rule Adjudication:Toward the Rule of Law. Russia and the International Community. 10. Politics in Poland. Current Policy Challenges. The Making of Modern Poland. Structure of the Political System. Political Culture. Political Socialization. Political Participation. Leadership Recruitment. Interest Groups. The Party System. The Policymaking Process. Policy Outcomes. Conclusion. 11. Politics in Hungary. Current Policy Challenges. Contested Readings of the Hungarian Historical Story. Social Forces in Transition. The New Democratic Structures. A Democratic Political Culture in the Making? Political Socialization. Elite Level Politics. Interest Groups in Transition. New Politics Groups. Democratic Elections and the Emerging Party System. Policy Process and Performance. Paying the Price of Negotiated Revolution? Part IV. The International Dimension. 12. Politics in the European Union. Why "Europe"? Historical Origins. The Institutions. National Governments as Actors. Political Parties. Interest Groups. Public Opinion--Does It Matter? The Policymaking Process. External Relations. Entanglement of the "National" and the "European." Policy Performance. Policy Challenges. Appendix: A Guide to Comparing Nations. Index.