America and Its Critics: Virtues and Vices of the Democratic Hyperpower

CHAPTER. 1 - ANTI-AMERICANISM IN EUROPE.

1.1. Introduction.

1.2 Anti-Americanism in European Context.

1.3. America and the European Left.

1.4. America and the European Right.

1.5. America and the European Catholic Center.

1.6. Misunderstanding America.

1.7. Conclusion.

CHAPTER 2 – A PLEBISCITARY DEMOCRACY?.

2.1. Introduction.

2.2. The Origins of Separated Government.

2.3. Congressional Government.

2.4. The Crisis of Congressional Government.

2.5. Presidential Government.

2.6. The Difficulties of Presidential Government.

2.7. Conclusion.

CHAPTER 3 – A DEMOCRACY WITHOUT THE PEOPLE?.

3.1. Introduction.

3.2. The Characteristics of the Electoral System.

3.3 The Developments of the Electoral Process.

3.4. Why Americans don’t vote: the debate.

3.5. Political Parties from Decline to Transformation?.

3.6. Conclusion.

CHAPTER 4 – A DEMOCRACY FOR THE RICH?.

4.1. Introduction.

4.2. The American Commercial Republic.

4.3. The Neo-conservative Revolution.

4.4. The Weakness of the Democrats: The Two Clinton Presidencies.

4.5. The Anti-politics of the Elites: Term Limits and Recall.

4.6. The Social Implications of American Liberalism.

4.7 Conclusion.

CHAPTER 5 – AN IMPERIAL DEMOCRACY?.

5.1. Introduction.

5.2. Foreign and Domestic Policy in America.

5.3. Hegemonic America and the Cold War.

5.4. The End of the Cold War and the First Gulf War.

5.5. The 1990s and the Schizophrenic Power.

5.6. George W. Bush’s America and the Second Gulf War.

5.7. Conclusion.

CHAPTER 6. CONCLUSIONS – AMERICA AS A METHOD.

6.1 Introduction.

6.2. American Exceptionalism.

6.3 The Societal and Institutional Antinomies.

6.4. Political Change and American Antinomies.

6.5. America: a Model or a Method?.

6.6. Conclusion