What If the American Political System Were Different? (Studies in Institutional Economics)

First Published in 2015. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company. Introduction / Herbert M. Levine -- 1. What If There Were No Written Constitution And Bill Of Rights? / Neil B. Cohen. What Is A Constitution? A Brief Tour Of The United States Constitution. What If We Had No Written Constitution? -- 2. What If There Were A Unitary Rather Than A Federal System? / Thomas H. Ferrell. Federal And Unitary Systems. The American Federal System. Truly United States: An American Unitary System -- 3. What If There Were Three Major Parties? / John J. Pitney, Jr. Political Parties In America. Constraints On Third Parties. A Third-party Breakthrough. Alternative Views -- 4. What If There Were No Television? / Herbert M. Levine. Political Behavior. Governmental Institutions. Public Policy -- 5. What If There Were A Parliamentary System? / Joy E. Esberey. The Westminster Model. The Political Process. Public Policy -- 6. What If There Were No Judicial Review? / Neil B. Cohen. The Idea Of A Written Constitution. Who Decides What The Constitution Means? What If There Were No Judicial Review? -- 7. What If There Had Been No Slavery? / Glen Jeansonne. The Condition Of African-americans. A Brief History Of Race Relations. The Legacy Of Slavery. An Alternative Scenario. America Without Slavery -- 8. What If The 1787 Constitution Had Provided For Equal Rights? / Judith F. Gentry. The Civic Order. Government. The Private Sector. State Laws -- 9. What If There Were No Welfare State? / John J. Pitney, Jr. Social Consequences. Political Consequences. For Better Or For Worse? -- 10. What If There Had Been No Cold War? / Herbert M. Levine. Herbert M. Levine ... [et Al.]. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. First Published in 2015. This unique book is an ideal supplement for an introductory American politics course. Each chapter consider a basic aspect of the American political system or historical tradition and speculates as to the consequences were that aspect fundamentally different. Engagingly written by political scientists, historians and a legal solicitor, the book is non-ideological throughout and invites reflection and discussion. Each chapter will encourage readers to think critically about the American political system, elate the relationships between different political structures and policy outcomes and in general consider American politics in an exciting new way. Speculates on how American politics would be changed if the country's political institutions and historical development were different. Written in clear language by political scientists and historians, the chapters ask questions such as: what if there were no written Constitution and Bill of Rights? a unitary rather than federal system? three major parties? a parliamentary system? no judicial review? no legacy of slavery or Cold War? Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)