Comparative Politics : The Principal-Agent Perspective (Paperback)

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER: MICRO FOUNDATIONS OF COMPARATIVE POLITICS Politics as a Series of Principal-Agent Games Politics as Principal-Agent Contracting Institutional Mechanism: Rule of Law Political Agents and Incentives Political Agents and Outcomes Rules and Preferences Conclusion SECTION 1. STATES: STABILITY AND PERFORMANCE CHAPTER ONE: THE STATES OF THE WORLD Introduction Weber’s concept of the State The identification of Present States States as Institutional Probabilities State Longevity and Regime Stability Institutional Foundations of States Regimes Regime Longevity and Constitutional Changes State Stability and Political Unrest Conclusion CHAPTER TWO: RULE OF LAW Introduction Performance Analysis Rule of Law Measure The Public Sector Social Outcomes Conclusion SECTION II. CONDITIONS THAT SUPPORT RULE OF LAW CHAPTER THREE: ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Introduction Size and Climate Social Structure Religion Family Values: Individualism versus Collectivism Economic Conditions Relevance of Social, Cultural and Economic Conditions Conclusion CHAPTER FOUR: IMPACT OF POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS Introduction Institutions, Principals and Agents Contestation and Participation Adversarial, Concurrent and Consociational Democracy Federations and Confederations Presidentialism Parliamentarism and Bicameralism Authoritarian Institutions Institutional Consolidation or Decay Judicial Institutions Relevance of Institutions Conclusions CHAPTER FIVE: CHANGING PRINCIPAL-AGENT INSTITUTIONS Introduction Introducing the Market Economy Third World State Transformation Political Stability Conclusion CHAPTER SIX: PARTY SYSTEM INSTABILITY AND VOLATILITY FROM THE PRINCIPAL-AGENT PERSPECTIVE Introduction Party-System Stability and Democratic Stability Volatility and the Vitality of Democracy The Data Net Volatility Party System Fractionalization Volatility and Fractionalization A Regression Model of Volatility Conclusion SECTION III. TOWARDS EVOLUTIONARY REGIME THEORY CHAPTER SEVEN: REGIME FITNESS ON THE SURVIVAL OF POLITIES Introduction Polity Forms, Fitness and Evolutionary Mechanisms Capacity Efficacy and Legitimacy of a Political Regime Conclusion CHAPTER EIGHT: THE CONCEPT OF A POLITY: From the City-State to the Empire Introduction The Greek Heritage Emergence of the Hellenistic Empires and Pax Romana Conclusion CHAPTER NINE: ANCIENT EMPIRES. Oriental Despotism or the Patrimonial State Introduction Wittfogel Weber The Aztecs The Mayas The Incas West-African Empires China Mughal India Conclusion CHAPTER TEN: FEUDALISM: Political, Economical and Modern Introduction Occidental and Oriental Feudalism Political Feudalism Economic Feudalism: Manorialism An Ideal-Type Feudal Polity? Modern Feudalism: The War Lords Conclusion CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE NATION-STATE AND COLONIAL EMPIRES Introduction Birth of the Nation-State Colonial Empires African Colonialism Towards an American Empire The Post-Colonial State Conclusion CHAPTER TWELVE: THE REGIONALISATION OF THE STATE Introduction Basic Modes of Regional Organization The Regional Forum Regional Facilities Economics I: FTA’s and Customs Unions Economics II: Monetary Unions Economics III: The Common Market The Regional Regimes: Will They Replace the State? Conclusion CONCLUDING CHAPTER: EVOLUTIONARY ADVANTAGE OF RULE OF LAW REGIMES Can Stable Authoritarian Regimes Survive? Politics as Principal-agent Contracting Conclusion APPENDIX I: STATES INCLUDED IN THE DATA ANALYSIS REFERENCES