Part I - The nature of politics 1. The study of politics The problem of boundaries The search for a paradigm Further developments Political studies and practical politics 2. Politics, power and authority Sources of political conflict Means of reconciling political conflict Political power Political authority and influence Distribution of power 3. Classification of governments Aims of classification Problems of classification Systems of classification Classification of political structures 4. Political culture The nature of a political culture Foundations of political culture Key aspects of a political Culture Symbols and political culture Development of a political culture Political socialization Socialization and the political system 5. Globalization and the influence of international politics The international environment Economic globalization Political globalization Policy globalization and regimes Military globalization Cultural globalization Part II - Parties, pressure groups and representation 6. Political parties and electoral systems Definition Functions of political parties Party structure Determinants of party structure Party systems Change and party systems Electoral systems and political parties The crisis of political parties 7. Pressure groupes Pressure-group analysis Determinants of pressure-group methods Levels of pressure-group activity Determinants of pressure-group influence Interest groups and social capital 8. Representation, elections and voting behaviour Theories of representation Liberal democratic theories of representation Collectivist theories of representation Functions of elections Voting behaviour The role of the mass media Part III - Structures of government 9. Assmblies The nature os assemblies Assembly-executive relations Legislative functions Representative functions Internal organization Second chambers Conclusion: The decline of assemblies? 10. The political executive The executive and the bureaucracy Chief executives Origins and stability of chief executives Functions and powers of chief executives Chief executives and the political process 11. The public bureaucracy Scope of government administration Structure Functions Control of the bureaucracy Recruitment and training Changing the bureaucracy 12. Courts and the political process The nature of law and the political process Legal structure and recruitment Functions of yhe judiciary Control of the judiciary 13. The military and politics Characteristics of the mulitary Limited interference in the political process Direct interference Military control Part IV - Political change 14. Change in political systems Problems of analysis Political stability Political change Causes of political change The east European revolutions, 1989 Retrograde political change? Change in industrialized democracies