Now featuring the logic of policymaking! Praised for its engaging narrative, The Logic of American Politics hooks students with great storytelling while giving them a taste of real political science. Students come to understand why institutional design concepts like voting rules and delegation help explain why the American political system works the way it does. The authors build students’ critical thinking skills through a simple yet powerful idea: politics is about solving collective action problems. The Seventh Edition continues to delve into partisan differences among voters and in government, exploring issues such as the Affordable Care Act’s troubled implementation, the increasing legalization of marijuana and same-sex marriage in the states, and the debate over President Obama’s executive action on immigration. A new concluding chapter on policymaking examines the noticeable logic that guides American policy, as shown through policies like health care reform, global climate change, and the federal budget.

Why does the American political system work the way it does? Find the answers in The Logic of American Politics. This best-selling text arms you with a toolkit of institutional design concepts–command, veto, agenda control, voting rules, and delegation–that help you recognize how the American political system was designed and why it works the way it does. The authors build your critical thinking through a simple yet powerful idea: politics is about solving collective action problems. Thoroughly updated to account for the most recent events and data, the Ninth Edition explores the increase in political polarization, the growing emotional involvement people have to politics, Americans’ reactions to changing demographics, the partisan politics of judicial selection, and the changing nature of presidential leadership. Revised to include the 2018 election results and analysis, this edition provides you with the tools you need to make sense of today’s government.

Why does the American political system work the way it does? Find the answers in The Logic of American Politics. This bestselling text arms you with a “toolkit” of institutional design concepts–command, veto, agenda control, voting rules, and delegation–to help you comprehend how the American political system was designed and why it works the way it does. The authors build your critical thinking through a simple yet powerful idea: politics is about solving collective action problems. This thoroughly updated Tenth Edition considers the most recent events and data, including rising political polarization, the country’s reaction to changing demographics, and Americans’ growing emotional involvement in politics. With a fresh analysis of the 2020 election results, this bestseller provides you with the tools you need to make sense of the government they have. Also available as a digital option (courseware). Learn more about The Logic of American Politics – Vantage Digital Option, Tenth Edition [ISBN: 978-1-0718-2141-1]

Why does the American political system work the way it does? After observing the strains of intense partisanship and divided government, many Americans are wondering what logic, if any, can be found in politics. With both sides of the political spectrum being so different from one another and the scales often tipping in the favor of the opposing party by a fraction of a percentage point, how can anyone work the system to their advantage? With fresh analysis of the 2022 midterm election results, the Eleventh Edition of bestselling textbook The Logic of American Politics provides students with the tools they need to make sense of our government today. Weaving together historical context, contemporary politics, and a “toolkit” of institutional design concepts, the authors build an understanding of political institutions and practices as imperfect solutions to collective action problems.