Principles of Politics
A Rational Choice Theory Guide to Politics and Social Justice

Presents the rational choice theories of collective action and social choice, applying them to problems of public policy and social justice.

Joe Oppenheimer (Author)

9781107601642, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 30 July 2012

306 pages, 45 b/w illus. 23 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.7 cm, 0.42 kg

'I am often asked 'what is political science?' Oppenheimer has given me the broad outline to answer this question. Firmly rooted in the rational choice tradition (with a focus on both positive and normative political theories), this book is a clear and lucid discussion of the central problems tackled by political scientists and a wonderful overview of the state of the discipline's knowledge. The book takes stock of 61 propositions by political scientists, places those propositions in their logical and empirical context, and makes the case for their truth content. Even better, Oppenheimer points to areas that are fruitful for new work. Anyone, from a beginning student in political science to a wizened senior member of the discipline, can benefit from Oppenheimer's insights and conjectures.' Rick K. Wilson, editor of the American Journal of Political Science

Modern rational choice and social justice theories allow scholars to develop new understandings of the foundations and general patterns of politics and political behavior. In this book, Joe Oppenheimer enumerates and justifies the empirical and moral generalizations commonly derived from these theories. In developing these arguments, Oppenheimer gives students a foundational basis of both formal theory and theories of social justice, and their related experimental literatures. He uses empirical findings to evaluate the validity of the claims. This basic survey of the findings of public choice theory for political scientists covers the problems of collective action, institutional structures, citizen well-being and social welfare, regime change and political leadership. Principles of Politics highlights what is universal to all of politics and examines both the empirical problems of political behavior and the normative conundrums of social justice.

Introduction: politics, universals, knowledge claims, and methods
Part I. The Logic of Collective Action: 1. Voluntary contributions and collective action
2. Going beyond the prisoner dilemma
3. Collective action applications to and beyond democratic politics
Part II. Collective Choice: 4. Individual to collective choice in one dimensional politics
5. Individual to collective choice more generally
Part III. Political Institutions and Quality Outcomes: 6. Political necessity and the tethering of leaders
7. A few institutional pitfalls
Part IV. Social Justice, Choice, and Welfare: 8. The general problem of collective welfare and choice
9. Voting rules
10. Social welfare and social justice: a partial integration
Conclusion: 11. Questions and lessons.

Subject Areas: Political economy [KCP], Political science & theory [JPA], Research methods: general [GPS]