Comparative Government: An Introduction

by Jean Blondel

A comprehensive and systematic introduction to the institutions and patterns of behavior of political systems worldwide. The book is concept rather than country based, looking in the depth at the key elements necessary to an understanding of political institutions and political change. It also looks at the part played by bureaucracies, the military and the courts in political life and the extent to which people participate directory in politics. The revised edition includes more material on typologies on political systems and the policy-making process.

384 pages, Textbook Binding

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Marc Lamot · Rating 2 out of 5]

An overview of the British institutions and politics. Very didactic, but the edition I read (1986) of course is outdated by now (there are more recent ones!)

[Benjamin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has at least one error: Bin Laden, al Qaeda, etc. are not Wahhabists.

Wahhabism is a fundamentalist version of Islam, and is also known as muwahhidun (unitarian) or Salafist (companions of the Prophet). It developed in Saudi Arabia mid 18th Century
and reached the Trucial States (future UAE) around 1800.
Saudi Arabia built Wahhabi mosques around the world in response to the 1979 Iranian (Shi’ite) revolution and increased Arab emigration. Saudi Arabia now supports 90% of the global costs of Islam, yet only contains 1% of Muslims.
Bin Laden, al Qaeda, etc. are actually takfiris. Takfir essentially means excommunication. Muslims who oppose the takfiris are not considered true believers, and can therefore be killed. Takfir emerged from Egypt, not Saudi Arabia, and most victims of takfiri violence are Muslims

Curtis, 2006, 511; Davidson, 2005, 24-5; Sageman, 2008, 39, 105; Wright, 2006, 34, 72, 170