Leadership Selection in Six Western Democracies - by James W Davis (Hardcover)

About the Book

A comparative survey which discusses how national leaders in six Western democracies, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, and the United States, are nominated for the highest office in their country. The combinations of methods each country utilizes to nominate their leaders are described. The text emphasizes that most national leaders have served a long apprenticeship in various public offices--sometimes having made several attempts--before actually being nominated to the nation's highest public office. Increasingly, the text shows that opinion polls, television, and professional campaign management are playing a greater role in the leadership selection process in all six countries. This book will be of interest to upper-level college and graduate students and faculty in comparative government, political parties, and public affairs and academic as well as public libraries.

Book Synopsis

A comparative survey which discusses how national leaders in six Western democracies, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, and the United States, are nominated for the highest office in their country. The combinations of methods each country utilizes to nominate their leaders are described. The text emphasizes that most national leaders have served a long apprenticeship in various public offices--sometimes having made several attempts--before actually being nominated to the nation's highest public office. Increasingly, the text shows that opinion polls, television, and professional campaign management are playing a greater role in the leadership selection process in all six countries. This book will be of interest to upper-level college and graduate students and faculty in comparative government, political parties, and public affairs and academic as well as public libraries.

Review Quotes

"The book is especially useful as a reference tool on leadership selection; the author makes complex material accessible to a wide scholarly audience. [Recommended for] undergraduates and above."-Choice

?The book is especially useful as a reference tool on leadership selection; the author makes complex material accessible to a wide scholarly audience. [Recommended for] undergraduates and above.?-Choice

About the Author

JAMES W. DAVIS is Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington. He is the author of The National Conventions in an Age of Party Reform (Greenwood, 1983), President as Party Leader (Greenwood, 1992), Presidential Primaries: Road to the White House (Greenwood, 1980), The American Presidency, 2nd ed. (Praeger, 1995), and U.S. Presidential Primaries and the Caucus-Convention System: A Sourcebook (Greenwood, 1997).