Presidential Leadership in Political Time: Reprise and Reappraisal

by Stephen Skowronek

Renowned scholar Stephen Skowronek's insights have fundamentally altered our understanding of the American presidency. His seminal works have identified broad historical patterns in American politics and explained the dynamics at work behind them. His "political time" thesis has been particularly influential, revealing how presidents reckon with the work of their predecessors, situate their power within recent political events, and assert their authority to change things. In this new book, Skowronek revisits his political time thesis and focuses on how it helps us make sense of the presidencies of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. The essays--some of which predate his book The Politics Presidents Make, some of which followed it, and one of which is wholly original to this volume--make his arguments about the politics of leadership generally accessible while also drawing them forward and highlighting new issues for our times. Skowronek explains the typical political problems that presidents confront in political time, as well as the likely effects of their working through them. This allows him to draw out parallels in the politics of leadership between Andrew Jackson and Franklin Roosevelt and between James Polk and John Kennedy--and to develop a new and revealing perspective on the leadership of George W. Bush. All along the way, Skowronek considers contemporary innovations in the American political system that bear on the leadership patterns he draws from the more distant past. The impact of the 24-hour news cycle, of a more disciplined and homogeneous Republican party, of conservative advocacy of the "unitary theory" of the executive, and of progressive disillusionment with the presidency--all come under fresh scrutiny. A provocative review of presidential history, Skowronek's book brims with fresh insights and opens a window on the institution of the executive office and the workings of the American political system as a whole. Intellectually satisfying for scholars, it also provides an accessible volume for students and general readers interested in the American presidency.

Genres: History, Politics, Nonfiction, Academic

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 18, 2008

About the author

Stephen Skowronek is the Pelatiah Perit Professor of Political and Social Science at Yale University.

Reviews

[violet wexler · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was not fun (or easy) to read in two days. Buuuuut it is an amazing book. While Skowronek requires you to reread every line multiple times — and deals with increasingly complicated concepts — his theory is fascinating and he makes a very compelling argument that it can help us judge presidents and predict future electoral outcomes or outcomes of presidential performance. This book shifted the way I think abt the presidency and its concepts will definitely stay with me as I think abt trump and future presidents !!!

[Jeff Rowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been conditioned to think about presidential politics in terms of the individual merits and personalities of each particular president. Good things happen when we have good presidents and bad things happen otherwise. Skowronek makes a pretty good case that there are more powerful forces at work here. These forces are more or less dictated by the unique American system of government ruled by large political parties. The idea is that the president's ability to govern is based upon two powers: power granted by the constitution, and power granted by legitimacy. In practice, limits on presidential power are almost always constrained by legitimacy. According to Skowronek, this leads to repeating political cycles he calls political time. The effectiveness of a president then, can roughly be described as where that president happens to be located in the political time cycle. The examples of the disjunctive/reconstructive president pairs are very convincing: Adams/Jefferson, J.Q. Adams/Jackson, Buchanan/Lincoln, Hoover/FDR and Carter Reagan. This edition focuses upon the modern presidencies and how they fit into the political time thesis. It sure explains a lot. Obama isn't mentioned but he fits Skowronek's scheme pretty well too considering how there continue to be so many questions about his legitimacy, and how he has embraced and owned some of the Republican's moderate positions on foreign policy and spending. It was really great to read this in the middle of the crazy 2016 primary season because it lets me speculate for myself about what each of these candidates represents. It's seems pretty clear that Trump's success is a symptom of the fracturing of the GOP on factional lines, where neither Cruz, Rubio, Kasich or Carson can get a majority of voters to support them. Clinton is the classic disruptive candidate who has embraced plenty of moderately conservative positions. Really, really fascinating.

[David Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trying to make sense of history, we are gratified when clear patterns emerge to explain recurring phenomena. Patterns of repeating political climates offer a useful guide for evaluating Presidential performance and anticipating what comes next.

Skowronek's model is convincing, particularly as applied to the administrations of Carter, Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. The arc of these presidencies neatly exemplifies his categories of an enervated regime, a revolutionary reconstruction, orthodox innovation, and preemption. Looking back across history, most American Presidents appear to fit into these types, and parallels can be drawn in the types of challenges they faced.

What puzzles me, and makes me wonder if Skowronek's thesis is still valid, is the present political situation. I am unsure of how I would classify Obama's administration in this scheme, given his reconstructive intentions and the sheer stubborness of the opposition's defiance. Reconstructive presidents have historically been highly effective, but Obama's effectiveness has been blunted from its potential because the old regime still holds key levers of power. Where Obama fits, I think, depends greatly on the aftermath of the 2016 election.

[neeka · Rating 3 out of 5]

"what political time is it?" is an unhinged catchphrase

[Gordon Kwok · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book and the thesis that the author puts forth about the exercise of presidential power. Even though the book is a series of essays that tally about 150 pages, I will say this topic is one of the most difficult books I have read across all subject matters. I would recommend this book for those who are interested in studying presidential power and just has interest in the presidency, otherwise it'll probably be a little on the dry side.