Power & Choice: An Introduction to Political Science

by W. Phillips Shively

Known for its comparative approach and its strong balance between theory and practical real-world examples,Power and Choice continues as a best-seller,offering a brief but rich introduction to Political Science. Organized topically,this text maintains its use of extended examples of appropriate countries and its strong underlying theme: the contrasting purpose of political institutions as a means to acquire power versus its use as a means to exercise public choice. Power and Choice serves especially well where instructors wish to use a core text supplemented with additional readers,handouts,or other classroom materials.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Textbooks, Academic, Philosophy, Political Science

445 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Emma]

Since it is marketed as an "Introduction to Political Science" it's getting the lowest possible rating. While it is very base level (I read this for a college course but I've read more complex stuff in secondary school, this could just be an Europe-American difference though), it is extremely biased. I say extremely because it doesn't acknowledge its own bias at all. If it was upfront about being right-of-center (American standards) I probably wouldn't be as harsh. But Shively continuously writes as if he is being objective while being subjective. I was going in prepared that this was America and the politics would be more right leaning and conservative than home, but I was still shocked. If I hadn't had social sciences from home I'm not sure I would have spotted all the biases, since a lot of it is subtle (just like effective propaganda...), and bordering on it being wrong information or a misleading lack of information on some schools of thought, theories, ideologies, and real world examples. There was also a number of cases where I'm not sure if he was trying to give the student confidence by 'solving' a political issue or if he genuinely didn't know the answers (asking open-ended questions like 'we can't be sure why x happened', yet having just said the years these changes began and if you google or have basic history knowledge you will recognise them as Years Where America Fucked Up or Years Of Social Change or something like that).
All in all I would not recommend for an introduction of political science, but maybe if you want to look at American Conservative rhetoric and right-wing for a project and want to see how this is often self-described as 'evident' and 'rational' and 'objective' despite being ideological. It could also be interesting to compare to philosophical debates - here I'm specifically thinking the debate on the existence of universal truths and the frequent criticisms this idea has of being imperialistic, Eurocentric, assumes male superiority and binary gender, heteronormativity, racial superiority, etc and how these things are often argued to be as rational and self-evident.

[Thao Pham]

2.5

An informative book for beginners in political science but with highly biased viewpoints from the author, I don’t recommend this book. He did a dirty view about feminism and policies to solve economic inequality. “To increase education is to make everyone in society more productive” is a such capitalist view which he doesn’t consider the real meaning and impact of education.

[Ivy]

This book, so far, has served well enough for my distance Govt 102 class but I'm almost certain we could have a better introductory text. (Or at least as good with a smaller price tag but the price is beside the point.)

I dislike the tone and Shively's tendency to oversimplify or gloss, especially some of the more subjective, concepts within the text.

[Marlo Smith]

I wish you could give books negative ratings... This is a terrible book, each page makes me feel like my education levels are warring with each other, and this book is losing.

[Armin Hassanpour]

I found Power & Choice: An Introduction to Political Science to be a simple and very useful book for developing a general understanding of political science. I read it for a class that I took as a free elective, and I really liked how clearly and simply it explained many different political topics and concepts.

What I liked most about the book was the way it gave historical examples for the different political systems and ideas it discussed. These real historical examples made the concepts much easier to understand and helped connect the theory to actual political events and systems. Overall, I think it is a very good introduction to political science, especially for someone who is studying the subject for the first time.

[Abidogun Theo Jr.]

Its great.

[Nathalie Thomas]

Not the most riveting read, but informative enough to keep you interested.

[Raluuuuuu]

politics 101 for dummies, rlly easy to understand and a colid basis BUT it is so US-biased // kinda happy to get rid of you

[Jason]

Shively has a bias that roars in at odd times, but this is a thorough primer for the broad field of political science. If I had one other critique it would be that some of his definitions are a tad fuzzy for a 101 book. It could have been clearer.

[Nick Black]

My rather marginal textbook for an independent study in world politics back in high school. Oh well, it got me a 5 on the AP Comparative Politics exam.

[Mystistar115 The Bookist]

This was another textbook I had to read for class. This one was more enjoyable. I found it interesting that the author clearly put in his opinions. A different read.