On the Autonomy of the Democratic State
Language: English
Published by Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA and London, 1981
- First Edition
- Softcover
- Used

Seller: Theoria Books, Andover, MA, U.S.A.Theoria Books
AbeBooks seller since June 12, 2016
Condition: Used - Fine
£ 19.23
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
239 pp., viii. NAP. Contents divided into 8 chapters: (1) "State, Society, and Public Policy"; (2) "Societal Constraint of the State"; (3) "Type III State Autonomy"; (4) "Type II State Autonomy"; (5) "Type I State Autonomy"; (6) "Type I State Autonomy and Empirical Democratic Theory"; (7) "Variations in Type I and Type II State Autonomy: The American State in Comparative Perspective"; (8) "The Plausibility and Implications of the State-Centered Model"; Notes, pp. 221-235; Index, pp. 237-239. Glossy maroon wrappers with gold Title lettering across top half front cover, above geometrical illustration on lower half front cover, and Author name lettering in gold across bottom front cover, Previous owner 1 1/4" oval coat of arms stamped neatly at center ffep, below his removed address sticker (1 3/4" x 5/8"; with small amount of paper residue) once affixed at top right ffep, else book essentially As New: Tight binding (NO cracks); sharp corners (microscopic tip wear at top right front cover corner); NO remainder marks. Clean text. Unread.…
Seller Inventory # 002729
- Title
- On the Autonomy of the Democratic State
- Author
- Nordlinger, Eric A.
- Publisher
- Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA and London
- Publication year
- 1981
- Condition
- Fine
- Binding
- Soft cover
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 0674634098
- ISBN 13
- 9780674634091
- Edition
- 1st Edition
- Dimensions
- 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall
In this major revisionist study, Eric A. Nordlinger poses two critical questions about democratic politics. How are the public policy decisions of the democratic state in America and Europe to be explained? To what extent is the democratic state an autonomous entity, that is, a state that translates its own policy preferences into public policies?
On the Autonomy of the Democratic State challenges the central assumption of liberal and Marxist scholars, journalists, and citizens alike―that elected and appointed public officials are consistently constrained by society in the making of public policy. Nordlinger demonstrates that public officials are not only frequently autonomous insofar as they regularly act upon their own policy preferences, but also markedly autonomous in doing so even in the face of opposition from the most politically powerful groups in society: voters, well-organized and financed interest groups, national associations of farmers, workers, employers, and large corporations.
Here is a book in which wide-ranging generalizations are tightly bound up with empirical examples and data. Nordlinger systematically identifies the state's many capacities and opportunities for enhancing its autonomy. These are used by public officials to shape, alter, neutralize, deflect, and resist the policy preferences and pressures of societal groups. Even the highly fragmented national state in America is shown to be far more independent of societal demands than claimed by the conventional wisdom.
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review
In his intellectually sophisticated and ambitious book, Eric A. Nordlinger is concerned with two central questions: how to accountf or the authoritative actions of the democratic state, and the extent to which the democratic states is an autonomous entity. His conclusions are that the preferences of the state are at least as important as are those of social forces in accounting for political actions and nonactions, and that the democratic state is often autonomous, even when its preferences diverge from the demands of the most powerful social groups.--American Historical Review
A rigorous, thoughtful, and original approach which should make it difficult in the future to offer any more reductionist theories of the state.--Stanley Hoffmann
A major contribution to the growing literature on the state...a searching and original examination of the ways in which official institutions can influence the societies in which they are embedded.--Stephen D. Krasner, Stanford University
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Theoria Books
Andover, MA, U.S.A.
AbeBooks seller since June 12, 2016
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 5 to 14 business days | 3 to 6 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 4.11 | £ 9.63 |
Payment methods
Store description
Retired academic's reference library with specialization in philosophy, religion, science, and mathematics--all scholarly subject areas; Pre-Socratics to contemporary; biographies; some series collections. General stock also, including fiction, poetry, literary criticism, mysteries, some foreign language, children's, history, sociology, psychology, education. Some signed copies.
Specialty
Scholarly and general stockSeller's business information
Theoria Books
MA, U.S.A.
Terms of sale
We abide by the current policies set by Abebooks. Please submit all orders through Abebooks.com
Right of withdrawal
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to Theoria Books, Andover, Massachusetts, U.S.A., without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
- The delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
- The supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not withdraw once delivery had started.
Shipping terms
All domestic orders will be sent by USPS Media Mail, unless some other mode of shipping is requested or required and accepted in advance of shipping. International orders will be sent by USPS International Flat-Rate Priority envelope or box, unless the current weight and size restrictions cannot be met or insurance is requested or required (e.g., the book is worth $40.00 or more). All books sent by USPS Flat-Rate unpadded envelope (or padded envelope, moreover) will be wrapped in paper and packed between cardboard sheets larger than the book or with cardboard affixed at the corners, in order to prevent damage to the book during shipment. Books sent in boxes will also be wrapped in paper and suitably packed to avoid movement in box. The goal here is to ship essentially at cost, rather than to reap additional profit beyond the cost of shipping, thus keeping the customer's cost for shipping as low as possible.