Full Description
When initially published in 1972, Foundations of Political Sociology was acknowledged to be the first unified study of the field. It still provides a cross-fertilization of knowledge concerning the interrelation of social class and political power. Taking into account new specializations in social theory, the book covers all major social systems on a comparative international basis. The opening remarks prepared for this new printing provide an estimate of how the field has changed during the past quarter century, and what unexpected challenges have arisen in areas of public trust and personal privacy.
This book examines fascism, communism, anarchism, conservatism, and liberalism as systems of rule as well as domains of theory. It is thus a unique effort at linking problems of history with problems of policy. The six sections of the book detail the historical and theoretical antecedents of this relatively new hybrid area in social research: policy coordinates of political sociology, types of social systems, forms of political ideologies, polarities of revolution and counter-revolution, civil-military relations, mass vs. elite contradictions, and threads of consensus and conflict running through these themes.
"Horowitz presents as his central thesis that in today's world no economic determinism can do justice to social reality. Foundations is the work of a politically sensitive and knowledgeable scholar." Louis Schneider, Social Forces
"Foundations of Political Sociology reflects extensive teaching and research in the area of political sociology. The book combines analytical insight with a provocative cutting edge and represents the best of Professor Horowitz." Thomas R. McFaul, The Annals
"Horowitz's political stance is interesting. Though he knows the radical literature, he distances himself from it. He sympathizes with everyone and strives to be provocative and yet elusive a personal voice in a dogmatic discipline." W.J.M. Mackenzie, Political Studies
Contents
Histories; 1: An Historical Introduction To Political Sociology; 2: A Theoretical Introduction to Political Sociology; 3: Political Progress: The Enlightenment Pivot; 4: Political Order: The Romantic Pivot; 5: Ideological and Historical Sources of Contemporary Total Politics; Systems; 6: Political Conservatism and Conservative Politics; 7: The Liberal Tradition and Evolutionary Politics; 8: Anarchism: From Natural Man to Political Man; 9: The Politicalization of Socialism; 10: The Militarization of Communism; 11: Fascism: A Twentieth-Century Mass Movement; Changes; 12: The Morphology of Modern Revolution; 13: The Morphology of Counterrevolution; 14: Militarization, Modernization and Mobilization; 15: Social Deviance and Political Marginality; Policies; 16: Social Science and Public Policy; 17: The Academy and the Polity; 18: Social Science Mandarins; 19: National Policy and Private Agency Research; 20: Deterrence Policies: From Academic Casebook to Military Codebook; Interests; 21: Power As The Measure of Political Man; 22: Political Realism: The Primacy of Interests Over Values; 23: The Working Class as Interest Group; 24: Race, Class And Ethnicity; Outcomes; 25: Political Bias and Social Analysis; 26: Social Alienation and Political Systems; 27: Political Marginality and Social Class in Historical Perspective
