In a detailed historical reconstruction of the origins of Jewish political thought, the book traces the development of Zionist ideology in the years prior to Israel's independence. The analysis demonstrates how the political, social and economic foundations of the future state were negotiated in this period and how these ideologies have endured and are reflected in present-day Israeli diplomacy and in the fragmentary nature of its politics. The book will become a standard reference for students of Zionist and Israeli politics and for those interested in the Middle East generally.

This is an interdisciplinary study of Israeli society in one of the defining moments in the history of Israel. Prominent scholars of Israel's politics and foreign affairs discuss the critical aspects of the political order, economics, the military, the role of the media and legal reform that are shaping a new Israel. The book reflects the profound changes in foreign policy analysis taking place, the delicate interplay between the domestic, the regional and the global, and the divided nature of Israeli politics.

In a detailed historical reconstruction of the origins of Jewish political thought, the book traces the development of Zionist ideology in the years prior to Israel's independence. The analysis demonstrates how the political, social and economic foundations of the future state were negotiated in this period and how these ideologies have endured and are reflected in present-day Israeli diplomacy and in the fragmentary nature of its politics. The book will become a standard reference for students of Zionist and Israeli politics and for those interested in the Middle East generally.