Stifling Political Competition

Stifling Political Competition PDF

Author: James T. Bennett

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2008-11-30

Total Pages: 143

ISBN-13: 0387098216

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Stifling Political Competition examines the history and array of laws, regulations, subsidies and programs that benefit the two major parties and discourage even the possibility of a serious challenge to the Democrat-Republican duopoly. The analysis synthesizes political science, economics and American history to demonstrate how the two-party system is the artificial creation of a network of laws, restrictions and subsidies that favor the Democrats and Republicans and cripple potential challenges. The American Founders, as it has been generally forgotten, distrusted political parties. Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution are parties mentioned, much less given legal protection or privilege. This provocative book traces how by the end of the Civil War the Republicans and Democrats had guaranteed their dominance and subsequently influenced a range of policies developed to protect the duopoly. For example, Bennett examines how the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (as amended in 1974 and 1976), which was sold to the public as a nonpartisan act of good government reformism actually reinforced the dominance of the two parties. While focused primarily on the American experience, the book does consider the prevalence of two-party systems around the world (especially in emerging democracies) and the widespread contempt with which they are often viewed. The concluding chapter considers the potential of truly radical reform toward opening the field to vigorous, lively, contentious third-party candidacies that might finally offer alienated voters a choice, not an echo.

The Politics Industry

The Politics Industry PDF

Author: Katherine M. Gehl

Publisher: Harvard Business Press

Published: 2020-06-23

Total Pages: 316

ISBN-13: 1633699242

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Leading political innovation activist Katherine Gehl and world-renowned business strategist Michael Porter bring fresh perspective, deep scholarship, and a real and actionable solution, Final Five Voting, to the grand challenge of our broken political and democratic system. Final Five Voting has already been adopted in Alaska and is being advanced in states across the country. The truth is, the American political system is working exactly how it is designed to work, and it isn't designed or optimized today to work for us—for ordinary citizens. Most people believe that our political system is a public institution with high-minded principles and impartial rules derived from the Constitution. In reality, it has become a private industry dominated by a textbook duopoly—the Democrats and the Republicans—and plagued and perverted by unhealthy competition between the players. Tragically, it has therefore become incapable of delivering solutions to America's key economic and social challenges. In fact, there's virtually no connection between our political leaders solving problems and getting reelected. In The Politics Industry, business leader and path-breaking political innovator Katherine Gehl and world-renowned business strategist Michael Porter take a radical new approach. They ingeniously apply the tools of business analysis—and Porter's distinctive Five Forces framework—to show how the political system functions just as every other competitive industry does, and how the duopoly has led to the devastating outcomes we see today. Using this competition lens, Gehl and Porter identify the most powerful lever for change—a strategy comprised of a clear set of choices in two key areas: how our elections work and how we make our laws. Their bracing assessment and practical recommendations cut through the endless debate about various proposed fixes, such as term limits and campaign finance reform. The result: true political innovation. The Politics Industry is an original and completely nonpartisan guide that will open your eyes to the true dynamics and profound challenges of the American political system and provide real solutions for reshaping the system for the benefit of all. THE INSTITUTE FOR POLITICAL INNOVATION The authors will donate all royalties from the sale of this book to the Institute for Political Innovation.

Introduction to Djibouti

Introduction to Djibouti PDF

Author: Gilad James, PhD

Publisher: Gilad James Mystery School

Published:

Total Pages: 77

ISBN-13: 2368175024

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Located in the Horn of Africa, Djibouti is a small country that is often overlooked on the continent. It is one of the smallest countries in Africa, with a population of just over one million people. Despite its size, Djibouti is strategically located at the mouth of the Red Sea and is a hub for international trade and military operations. This has led to the construction of several major ports, including the Port of Djibouti, which is one of the busiest in Africa. The country is also home to several foreign military bases, including those of France, the United States, and China. As a result, Djibouti has become an important player in regional politics and is often referred to as the "gateway to Africa". However, despite its geopolitical significance, Djibouti faces several challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and political instability. The country's economy is largely dependent on foreign aid and military spending, which has resulted in an unequal distribution of wealth and limited economic opportunities for the majority of its citizens.

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Author:

Publisher: Soffer Publishing

Published:

Total Pages: 77

ISBN-13:

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Politics in the Roman Republic

Politics in the Roman Republic PDF

Author: Henrik Mouritsen

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2017-03-02

Total Pages: 215

ISBN-13: 1107031885

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A very readable introduction exploring much-contested issues and debates, and providing an original synthesis of this important topic.

Libertarianism, from A to Z

Libertarianism, from A to Z PDF

Author: Jeffrey A. Miron

Publisher: Basic Books

Published: 2010-05-04

Total Pages: 222

ISBN-13: 046502162X

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Libertarian principles seem basic enough -- keep government out of boardrooms, bedrooms, and wallets, and let markets work the way they should. But what reasoning justifies those stances, and how can they be elucidated clearly and applied consistently? In Libertarianism, from A to Z, acclaimed Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron sets the record straight with a dictionary that takes the reader beyond the mere surface of libertarian thought to reveal the philosophy's underlying and compelling logic. Tackling subjects as diverse as prostitution and drugs, the financial crises and the government bailouts, the legality of abortion, and the War on Terror, Miron takes the reader on a tour of libertarian thought. He draws on consequentialist principles that balance the costs and benefits of any given government intervention, emphasizing personal liberty and free markets. Miron never flinches from following those principles to their logical and sometimes controversial ends. Along the way, readers get a charming and engaging lesson in how to think like a libertarian. Principled, surprising, and thought provoking, Libertarianism, from A to Z, has everything a bourgeoning libertarian -- or any responsible citizen -- needs to know.

Political Finance and Corruption in Eastern Europe the Transition Period

Political Finance and Corruption in Eastern Europe the Transition Period PDF

Author: Daniel Smilov

Publisher: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 233

ISBN-13: 0754689700

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This key volume provides a thorough and well-structured post-communist study of political finance, election campaign and party funding issues within eleven Central and Eastern European countries. It will be indispensable for anyone interested in the efficiency of regulation in party funding.

Oligarchic Party-Group Relations in Bulgaria

Oligarchic Party-Group Relations in Bulgaria PDF

Author: Mihail Petkov

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2018-09-29

Total Pages: 183

ISBN-13: 3319988999

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This book argues that the relationship between political parties, civil service and party insider groups in Bulgaria is oligarchic. It also argues that these oligarchic dynamics overlap with the parentela policy network, which is a relationship where a ruling party interferes with the civil service to the benefit of its own insider group. In Bulgaria, party-wide executive appointments attract businesses to seek insider status hoping to expand their activities through prejudiced regulatory inspections as one form of executive interference. Such inspections constitute a veiled attempt to coerce a business, which is in a direct market competition with the party insider or in party political opposition. Any such successful party-insider relationship forms an oligarchic elite, which then converts political access into capital and coerces its rivals into losing parliamentary elections. When ruling parties change, the cycle is repeated, as the newly formed elite seeks to check all and any rivals.

Public Administration in Conflict Affected Countries

Public Administration in Conflict Affected Countries PDF

Author: Juraj Nemec

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-09-08

Total Pages: 451

ISBN-13: 3030749665

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This book highlights the main factors determining the quality of public administration in conflict affected countries; and assesses to what extent the conflict determines and impacts on the performance of public administration in affected countries. The main value added by this book is confirming the general expectation that there is no direct and universal link between the conflict and public administration performance (and vice-versa). One may need to argue that each country situation differs and specific factors of internal and external environments determine the trends of public administration performance in conflict affected countries. To achieve the overarching goal of the book, sixteen country studies were developed from all relevant continents - America, Africa, Asia and Europe: Bangladesh, Colombia, Croatia, Egypt, Georgia, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Palestine, Paraguay, Philippines, Serbia, South Africa, Uganda, Ukraine, and Venezuela.