Political Ideologies: An Introduction

Rating:
Summary: A great introduction to political philosophy
Review: It was my Political Studies teacher at school who first showed me that life is about ideas. Different views of human nature, ways in which we believe society and the state should be organised, these are eternal debates that have enslaved and emancipated countless numbers over the centuries. Andrew Heywood's 'Political Ideologies' served me well then at school and continues to do so - I recently went and bought a copy to read over again. The author manages to combine complexity of thought with simplicity of presentation that opens your eyes to why politicians can't ever seem to agree, even when the answer seems obvious to us. The new edition contains new sections that reflect the collapse of communism, the emergence of a global capitalist system, the rise of ethnic nationalism, religious fundamentalism and the advent of postmodernism. The only criticism that I can level at this textbook is that it isn't really designed for an international audience. The author is a British academic and so it isn't that surprising that, for example, the section on conservatism is more relevant to the UK Conservative Party than the GOP. But still, for anyone who cares about life and the way that people should be treated by the state, this is a great introduction that will open up a new world of political possibilities.

Rating:
Summary: Good Introduction to Political Thought
Review: This book makes a nice introduction or review text to the world of political ideologies. The author gives a wealth of information on the history, key themes, and current status of each ideology discussed. Sidebars presenting brief biographical sketches of important names within each ideology are also helpful in providing a more complete picture of where ideas come from. My only complaint is that this book seems to have skipped past the editing process and has made it into print filled with glaring grammatical errors and typos. You can find at least two on any page (I've made a game out of it). Although the information is still valid, it is nevertheless annoying.