R&L Logo R&L Logo
  • GENERAL
    • Browse by Subjects
    • New Releases
    • Coming Soon
    • Chases's Calendar
  • ACADEMIC
    • Textbooks
    • Browse by Course
    • Instructor's Copies
    • Monographs & Research
    • Reference
  • PROFESSIONAL
    • Education
    • Intelligence & Security
    • Library Services
    • Business & Leadership
    • Museum Studies
    • Music
    • Pastoral Resources
    • Psychotherapy
  • FREUD SET
Cover Image
Hardback
Paperback
share of facebook share on twitter
Add to GoodReads

Donald Trump and the Prospect for American Democracy

An Unprecedented President in an Age of Polarization

Arthur Paulson

This book goes beyond examining Donald Trump as a unique and controversial President to place his election in a historical and systematic perspective. It offers an analysis of the 2016 presidential nominations and election, the economic and demographic foundations of the election of Mr. Trump, the realignment of the party system, ideological polarization in American politics, the realities of a postindustrial society locked in a global economy, and the outlook for American democracy in the twenty-first century.
  • Details
  • Details
  • Author
  • Author
  • TOC
  • TOC
  • Reviews
  • Reviews
Lexington Books
Pages: 180 • Trim: 6¼ x 9¼
978-1-4985-6172-3 • Hardback • May 2018 • $117.00 • (£90.00)
978-1-4985-6174-7 • Paperback • July 2020 • $47.99 • (£37.00)
Series: Voting, Elections, and the Political Process
Subjects: Political Science / Political Process / Political Parties, Political Science / Political Ideologies / Democracy, Political Science / History & Theory, History / United States / General, Political Science / Political Process / General
Arthur Paulson is professor emeritus of political science at Southern Connecticut State University.
Chapter 1: An Unprecedented President
Chapter 2: From Umbrella Parties to Polarized Parties in American Politics
Chapter 3: Trumping the Republicans and Berning the Democrats
Chapter 4: The Presidential Election of 2016 in Historical Perspective
Chapter 5: The Irony of Polarization: Parliamentary Parties Without Parliamentary Government
Chapter 6: The Trump Era and Beyond: Postindustrial Democracy in America
Conclusion
Donald Trump’s presidency challenges the basic norms and values of the American experiment in democratic governance. Trump is devoid of political experience, lacks an understanding of policy, government, or international affairs, is angry, vengeful, and unpredictable, and has been accused of emotional instability with a fixation on one-man rule. How to explain such a presidency? Arthur Paulson takes on the task. He places Trump within the arc of the nation’s political development. The results are extraordinary. A must-read for students, academicians, and those concerned with the future of American politics. Excellent!
— William Crotty, Northeastern University


It is chilling to contemplate, with Paulson, that party leaders who wanted to block the rise of Donald Trump failed precisely because of the party reforms of the 1960’s opened the process to outsider candidates. It would seem we have less reason to worry about the current outsider populist president, than the next one – from either political party. Paulson teaches us that the U.S. system can sustain intense partisan polarization but if only we can strengthen party organizations and re-learn the language of the common good.
— Scott McLean


Donald Trump and the Prospect for American Democracy

An Unprecedented President in an Age of Polarization

Cover Image
Hardback
Paperback
Summary
Summary
  • This book goes beyond examining Donald Trump as a unique and controversial President to place his election in a historical and systematic perspective. It offers an analysis of the 2016 presidential nominations and election, the economic and demographic foundations of the election of Mr. Trump, the realignment of the party system, ideological polarization in American politics, the realities of a postindustrial society locked in a global economy, and the outlook for American democracy in the twenty-first century.
Details
Details
  • Lexington Books
    Pages: 180 • Trim: 6¼ x 9¼
    978-1-4985-6172-3 • Hardback • May 2018 • $117.00 • (£90.00)
    978-1-4985-6174-7 • Paperback • July 2020 • $47.99 • (£37.00)
    Series: Voting, Elections, and the Political Process
    Subjects: Political Science / Political Process / Political Parties, Political Science / Political Ideologies / Democracy, Political Science / History & Theory, History / United States / General, Political Science / Political Process / General
Author
Author
  • Arthur Paulson is professor emeritus of political science at Southern Connecticut State University.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
  • Chapter 1: An Unprecedented President
    Chapter 2: From Umbrella Parties to Polarized Parties in American Politics
    Chapter 3: Trumping the Republicans and Berning the Democrats
    Chapter 4: The Presidential Election of 2016 in Historical Perspective
    Chapter 5: The Irony of Polarization: Parliamentary Parties Without Parliamentary Government
    Chapter 6: The Trump Era and Beyond: Postindustrial Democracy in America
    Conclusion
Reviews
Reviews
  • Donald Trump’s presidency challenges the basic norms and values of the American experiment in democratic governance. Trump is devoid of political experience, lacks an understanding of policy, government, or international affairs, is angry, vengeful, and unpredictable, and has been accused of emotional instability with a fixation on one-man rule. How to explain such a presidency? Arthur Paulson takes on the task. He places Trump within the arc of the nation’s political development. The results are extraordinary. A must-read for students, academicians, and those concerned with the future of American politics. Excellent!
    — William Crotty, Northeastern University


    It is chilling to contemplate, with Paulson, that party leaders who wanted to block the rise of Donald Trump failed precisely because of the party reforms of the 1960’s opened the process to outsider candidates. It would seem we have less reason to worry about the current outsider populist president, than the next one – from either political party. Paulson teaches us that the U.S. system can sustain intense partisan polarization but if only we can strengthen party organizations and re-learn the language of the common good.
    — Scott McLean


ALSO AVAILABLE

  • Cover image for the book The New Politics of the Old South: An Introduction to Southern Politics, 7th Edition
  • Cover image for the book Governors Go National: The Democratic and Republican Governors Associations and the Nationalization of American Party Politics
  • Cover image for the book Interest Group Politics, Tenth Edition
  • Cover image for the book The Life of the Parties: A History of American Political Parties
  • Cover image for the book State of the Parties 2022: The Changing Role of American Political Parties
  • Cover image for the book Political Negotiation: A Handbook
  • Cover image for the book The Elephant in the Room: Donald Trump and the Future of the Republican Party
  • Cover image for the book Historical Dictionary of United States Political Parties, Third Edition
  • Cover image for the book Dynamics of the Party System: Alignment and Realignment of Political Parties in the United States, Second Edition
  • Cover image for the book The Social Movement Society: Contentious Politics for a New Century
  • Cover image for the book The Republican Resistance: #NeverTrump Conservatives and the Future of the GOP
  • Cover image for the book The State of the Parties: The Changing Role of Contemporary American Parties, 7th Edition
  • Cover image for the book Party and Nation: Immigration and Regime Politics in American History
  • Cover image for the book The Parties in Court: American Political Parties under the Constitution
  • Cover image for the book How Trump Happened: A System Shock Decades in the Making
  • Cover image for the book Conventional Wisdom, Parties, and Broken Barriers in the 2016 Election
  • Cover image for the book Changing How America Votes
  • Cover image for the book What Democrats Talk about When They Talk about God: Religious Communication in Democratic Party Politics
  • Cover image for the book Divided Government: Change, Uncertainty, and the Constitutional Order
  • Cover image for the book The Challenge of Legislation: Bipartisanship in a Partisan World
  • Cover image for the book Reforming the Presidential Nomination Process
  • Cover image for the book Fight Club Politics: How Partisanship is Poisoning the U.S. House of Representatives
  • Cover image for the book The 2012 Nomination and the Future of the Republican Party: The Internal Battle
  • Cover image for the book Connecting with Constituents: Identification Building and Blocking in Contemporary National Convention Addresses
  • Cover image for the book The Future of America's Political Parties
  • Cover image for the book Pandemics and Polarization: Implications of Partisan Budgeting for Responding to Public Health Emergencies
  • Cover image for the book The 2014 Elections in Florida: The Last Gasp From the 2012 Elections
  • Cover image for the book The State of the Parties 2018: The Changing Role of Contemporary American Political Parties
  • Cover image for the book New Majority or Old Minority?: The Impact of the Republicans on Congress
  • Cover image for the book God at the Grass Roots, 1996: The Christian Right in the American Elections
  • Cover image for the book Multiparty Politics in America
  • Cover image for the book The State of the Parties: The Changing Role of Contemporary American Parties
  • Cover image for the book Democracy's Moment: Reforming the American Political System for the 21st Century
  • Cover image for the book Multiparty Politics in America: Prospects and Performance, Second Edition
  • Cover image for the book The Money Primary: The New Politics of the Early Presidential Nomination Process
  • Cover image for the book The New Politics of the Old South: An Introduction to Southern Politics, 7th Edition
  • Cover image for the book Governors Go National: The Democratic and Republican Governors Associations and the Nationalization of American Party Politics
  • Cover image for the book Interest Group Politics, Tenth Edition
  • Cover image for the book The Life of the Parties: A History of American Political Parties
  • Cover image for the book State of the Parties 2022: The Changing Role of American Political Parties
  • Cover image for the book Political Negotiation: A Handbook
  • Cover image for the book The Elephant in the Room: Donald Trump and the Future of the Republican Party
  • Cover image for the book Historical Dictionary of United States Political Parties, Third Edition
  • Cover image for the book Dynamics of the Party System: Alignment and Realignment of Political Parties in the United States, Second Edition
  • Cover image for the book The Social Movement Society: Contentious Politics for a New Century
  • Cover image for the book The Republican Resistance: #NeverTrump Conservatives and the Future of the GOP
  • Cover image for the book The State of the Parties: The Changing Role of Contemporary American Parties, 7th Edition
  • Cover image for the book Party and Nation: Immigration and Regime Politics in American History
  • Cover image for the book The Parties in Court: American Political Parties under the Constitution
  • Cover image for the book How Trump Happened: A System Shock Decades in the Making
  • Cover image for the book Conventional Wisdom, Parties, and Broken Barriers in the 2016 Election
  • Cover image for the book Changing How America Votes
  • Cover image for the book What Democrats Talk about When They Talk about God: Religious Communication in Democratic Party Politics
  • Cover image for the book Divided Government: Change, Uncertainty, and the Constitutional Order
  • Cover image for the book The Challenge of Legislation: Bipartisanship in a Partisan World
  • Cover image for the book Reforming the Presidential Nomination Process
  • Cover image for the book Fight Club Politics: How Partisanship is Poisoning the U.S. House of Representatives
  • Cover image for the book The 2012 Nomination and the Future of the Republican Party: The Internal Battle
  • Cover image for the book Connecting with Constituents: Identification Building and Blocking in Contemporary National Convention Addresses
  • Cover image for the book The Future of America's Political Parties
  • Cover image for the book Pandemics and Polarization: Implications of Partisan Budgeting for Responding to Public Health Emergencies
  • Cover image for the book The 2014 Elections in Florida: The Last Gasp From the 2012 Elections
  • Cover image for the book The State of the Parties 2018: The Changing Role of Contemporary American Political Parties
  • Cover image for the book New Majority or Old Minority?: The Impact of the Republicans on Congress
  • Cover image for the book God at the Grass Roots, 1996: The Christian Right in the American Elections
  • Cover image for the book Multiparty Politics in America
  • Cover image for the book The State of the Parties: The Changing Role of Contemporary American Parties
  • Cover image for the book Democracy's Moment: Reforming the American Political System for the 21st Century
  • Cover image for the book Multiparty Politics in America: Prospects and Performance, Second Edition
  • Cover image for the book The Money Primary: The New Politics of the Early Presidential Nomination Process
facebook icon twitter icon instagram icon linked in icon NEWSLETTERS
ABOUT US
  • Mission Statement
  • Employment
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility Statement
CONTACT
  • Company Directory
  • Publicity and Media Queries
  • Rights and Permissions
  • Textbook Resource Center
AUTHOR RESOURCES
  • Royalty Contact
  • Production Guidelines
  • Manuscript Submissions
ORDERING INFORMATION
  • Rowman & Littlefield
  • National Book Network
  • Ingram Publisher Services UK
  • Special Sales
  • International Sales
  • eBook Partners
  • Digital Catalogs
IMPRINTS
  • Rowman & Littlefield
  • Lexington Books
  • Hamilton Books
  • Applause Books
  • Amadeus Press
  • Backbeat Books
  • Bernan
  • Hal Leonard Books
  • Limelight Editions
  • Co-Publishing Partners
  • Globe Pequot
  • Down East Books
  • Falcon Guides
  • Gooseberry Patch
  • Lyons Press
  • Muddy Boots
  • Pineapple Press
  • TwoDot Books
  • Stackpole Books
PARTNERS
  • American Alliance of Museums
  • American Association for State and Local History
  • Brookings Institution Press
  • Center for Strategic & International Studies
  • Council on Foreign Relations
  • Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
  • Fortress Press
  • The Foundation for Critical Thinking
  • Lehigh University Press
  • United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
  • Other Partners...