This fully revised and updated edition of an established reference book provides in one volume the most comprehensive and detailed statistical guide available to the government and politics of the twenty-four countries in the OECD.

The decision at Maastricht to create a political union and, in particular, to move towards a single currency, constitutes something of an intellectual puzzle. Why did the Europeans decide to create this union, and what are the chances of its succeeding? This book answers these questions by adapting William Riker's theory of federalism to the European case. It concludes that in the absence of fundamental political changes, European Union is not tenable.

In this captivating work, David McKay examines the policy dynamics of the European Union following the adoption of a single currency in 1999. It studies in detail the experience of existing federations, identifying specifically those arrangements that hold lessons for the emerging European policy. It will prove helpful for anyone curious about the economic future of Europe.

In this captivating work, David McKay examines the policy dynamics of the European Union following the adoption of a single currency in 1999. It studies in detail the experience of existing federations, identifying specifically those arrangements that hold lessons for the emerging European policy. The volume will be of prime importance to scholars and students of the European Union, comparative politics, federalism, and the political economy, or for anyone curious about the economic future of Europe.

The presidential leadership in America can and does make a great deal of difference as to what is debated and eventually legislated. At the same time presidents are obviously constrained by what is always a complex and difficult political environment. This study examines the interaction between presidential policy preferences and the political environment, concentrating on welfare and urban policy and intergovernmental relations under Johnson, Nixon, Carter, and Reagan. The author traces the origins of domestic initiatives, assesses the intellectual coherence of policies, and examines the way...

Controversies in American Politics and Society provides students with up-to-date reviews of the main controversies in American politics and society.

• Provides in-depth discussion of key American political and social issues
• Each controversy presents all sides of the debate
• Covers issues that are part of daily discourse, as well as those discussed in the media and academia
• Can be used alongside David McKay American Politics and Society (Fifth Edition, Blackwell Publishers, 2001) or other American government and politics texts
...

Essentials of American Politics is an undergraduate text with a novel analytical and comparative focus. It takes as a central theme the increasing tension in American politics between a general philosophy of limited government and particular public demands for more and better government programs and services. While this has always been a feature of the American polity, recent events have brought it into sharp focus. Both a Republican Congress and Democratic president extol the virtues of less government but continue to grapple with demands for improved education, health care,...

Former United Nations Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali was the first to call The Hague the 'legal capital of the world'. Now, Peter van Krieken and David McKay in The Hague: Legal Capital of the World examine the city that hosts the world's main legal bodies. The book discusses the International Court of Justice (the 'World Court'), the International Criminal Court, the Yugoslav Tribunal and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, to name a few. Throughout the book renowned experts offer clear exposition and incisive analysis, supported by fact sheets and key...

Examines the state of the British political system during the 1990s covering such areas as: economic difficulties and government response; bureaucratic networks; parties and electors; political communications; and relations with outside governments.