American government : balancing democracy and rights / Marc Landy, Sidney M. Milkis.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 773-798) and index.

Introduction : American government : rights and democracy, concensus and conflict -- Political culture -- Contesting the Constitution : a lover's quarrel -- Political development : crucial episodes -- Federalism -- Political economy -- Congress : the first branch of government -- The presidency : first citizen of American democracy -- The judiciary : the guardians of America's liberal tradition -- Bureaucracy -- Parties and elections -- Public opinion and political participation -- Conclusion : liberalism and democracy in the twenty-first century.

"The essence of the story of American politics and government is the relationship between liberalism and democracy. American Government demonstrates that the tensions and complementarities between liberalism and democracy are crucial for understanding each and all of the central governing institutions and political elements of American public life. The book provides all the information and breadth of coverage required of an introductory text but does so in a manner that highlights the drama of politics. It shows that the crucial features of the American political system were established through difficult decisions made under enormous pressure and often agonizing, even bloody, conflict. By placing such critical choices in specific times throughout American history, it is the first textbook to adopt an American political development approach."--Jacket.