When people have the freedom to further their own personal interests in politics, the results may be disastrous. Chaos? Tyranny? Can a political system be set up to avoid these pitfalls, while still granting citizens and politicians the freedom to pursue their interests? Republic at Risk is a concise and engaging introduction to American politics. The guiding theme is the problem of self-interest in politics, which James Madison took as his starting point in his defense of representative government in Federalist 10 and 51. Madison believed that unchecked self-interest in politics was a risk to a well-ordered and free society. But he also held that political institutions could be designed to harness self-interest for the greater good. Putting Madison's theory to the test, the authors examine modern challenges to the integrity and effectiveness of US policy-making institutions, inviting readers to determine how best to respond to these risks.

A brief, analytical introduction to American politics, organized around the themes of representation and self-interest.

About the Author
Walter J. Stone is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at University of California, Davis. He has taught the introductory American politics course for more than four decades at Davis, Grinnell College, and the University of Colorado. He is the author of Candidates and Voters (Cambridge 2017) and, with Ronald B. Rapoport, Three's a Crowd (The University of Michigan Press, 2005). James A. McCann is Professor of Political Science at Purdue University, where he has taught courses on American politics since 1991. He is the author of many articles on U.S. politics and has previously published two books. The most recent, with Michael Jones-Correa, is Holding Fast: Resilience and Civic Engagement among Latino Immigrants (Russell Sage Foundation, 2020).

Reviews
'Before we can determine how well the American system of government is working, we have to understand how it is designed to work. Republic at Risk provides a sophisticated, yet accessible, explanation of the theory behind 'Madison's Republic,' and offers ample empirical evidence with which to assess the republic in practice. For those who have ever been frustrated, or simply bewildered, by the operation of American politics, Republic at Risk is essential reading.' Stephen K. Medvic, Franklin & Marshall College
'Republic at Risk is not only a superb introduction to American politics, but an excellent introduction to political science, through its focus on competing theoretical models of the American political system. I completely reoriented my course after seeing the first edition, and the second is even better - completely updated and with new material on polarization, gridlock, and the Supreme Court.' Ronald Rapoport, College of William and Mary
'Sweeping across mass and elite political behavior, Stone and McCann explore the boundaries of Madison's argument that 'self-interest is the problem, and the solution.' Blending eighteenth-century political thought with contemporary academic scholarship and current events, they illuminate how the evolution of formal and informal norms, rules, and institutions has shaped outcomes that either sustain or distort the Founders' original intentions. The end product is a masterpiece of how the very best political scientists approach the study of American politics.' Sarah A. Fulton, Texas A&M University
'Republic at Risk is the perfect text for an introductory course in American government. Short and readable, the book presents the arguments about our democracy's future that are particularly relevant in the current context, in a way that will engage students throughout a semester.' L. Sandy Maisel, Colby College



Book Information
ISBN 9781108738040
Author Walter J. Stone
Format Paperback
Page Count 280
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 590g
Dimensions(mm) 253mm * 177mm * 13mm