Politocracy: An assessment of the coercive logic of the territorial state and ideas around a response to itby Koos MalanTranslated by Johan Scott2012ISBN: 978-1-920538-10-1Pages: xii 356Print version: AvailableElectronic version: Free PDF available.

First published in 1979, Political Manipulation and Administrative Power examines in detail some of the means by which elites in western-style democracies have established and maintained themselves in power. It describes how elites have manipulated the public by methods which run counter to the spirit and the letter of democracy, yet without overtly disrupting the democratic system. In exploring the relationship between political corruption and class interests, the author takes issue with the Marxist perspective to argue that the type of political manipulation under discussion, and its decline in some countries, cannot be explained by the economically dominant classes’ interests. She further contends that such manipulation cannot be explained by the characteristics of the rank-and-file public, such as lack of political awareness, poverty, and disorganization. She maintains that such manipulation can be best explained by certain characteristics of the ruling elites themselves and the power structures (especially administrative) they shape and head. Using an elitist perspective in conjunction with a structural functional one, she goes on to show that the decline of such practices in some countries more than in others can be explained by the normative codes and role definitions which, once adopted and institutionalized by the elites, act as a restraint on the manner in which they entrench themselves in power. A comparative study of Britain, the USA, Australia and Israel, this book is based on general principles which make its argument applicable to other western-style democracies. It will be a beneficial read for students and researchers of politics, comparative studies, and international politics.

This book is an exploration into the uncharted territory of social reality. It explores social relations and politics, presenting a critique of contemporary socioeconomic systems and discussions on the Marxist Doctrine of Transition. The book is intended to meet Robert Heilbroner's request.

The credit crunch has focused people’s attention to the fact that Democracy is not working as it was intended to – as a governance system that institutionalises power sharing between a country’s government and its people.The ‘people’ are being increasingly marginalised by career politicians and businessmen and women who have combined forces to create a plutopolitocracy that uses the power of the state to further their personal ambitions.Here, Dr Frederick M Tampoe traces how this change came about. He describes the rise of the plutopolitocracy, the huge influence that money and celebrity is playing in democratic politics and how, through its use, businesses are increasingly dominating political agendas. He looks at the major role played by the nations that are the strongest advocates of democracy and how they have succumbed to the temptation to manipulate national and global political systems and institutions to advance narrow political agendas, individual careers and the business interests of their sponsors in ‘big’ business. And he explores how the imposition of free market thinking on struggling nations has enriched global big business in developed nations at the cost of other nations and their people. Finally, he examines how the reassertion of human worth, integrity in public and business life, and a more neighbourly society with a reassertion of moral and ethical values would help the ‘demos’ reverse the current drift towards a world that is dominated by the plutopolitocracy.

Are the recent developments in Europe bringing countries together or pulling them apart? The leading experts in this book (including Sheila Allen, Marlis Buchmann, Piotr Sztompka, and Patrick Ziltener) cover a wide range of subjects, including the move towards political democracy and market economy in Central and Eastern societies, the project of the European Union, ethnic conflict, the rise of nationalism, social exclusion and women's role in public life.

Social Change in Political Transformation is thorough examination of political transformation the book features contributors from western and eastern Europe, giving their views on how European society and institutions are changing. The themes of social change, new movements and the development of European institutions are developed within a broad framework, and are supposed by considerable empirical detail relating to the European Community and a disaggregated eastern Europe. Students of political sociology, politics and European studies will all find this a useful text providing theories and explanations, as well as summaries of recent research.