Politics Today

Readers will explore the principles of the libertarian ideology, from its roots in European efforts to gain freedom from centralized government and monarchal rule, to its place in current American politics. This narrative examines what libertarians believe is the best role for government in protecting individual freedoms. What does limited government mean in the realm of economics, social issues, and the legal system? Who stands to benefit most from a libertarian system of governing and why? Readers will explore these questions and more, while learning about the trajectory of the Libertarian Party as it has gained prominence and influence in the United States, pushing the limits of the two-party system.

Progressivism has been growing in political power in recent years, with its believers becoming more vocal and prominent on the national stage. This volume discusses the roots of progressivism in the European Enlightenment and follows its history through the splitting of the U.S. Republican Party in the early 1900s to the re-emergence of progressive policies as a reaction to the Trump administration. The book also considers progressivism as a response to rapid modernization and unchecked capitalism, while explaining how progressive economic policies affect the national economy and how progressive social policies challenge established American values.

Inspired by the explosion of populist movements both within the United States and around the world, Cambridge Dictionary named "populism" its 2017 Word of the Year. What exactly is populism when there is no Populist Party and no political figures who identify as populist? This essential volume explains this unique perspective that has seen a worldwide resurgence in recent years. From examining the theoretical populist argument to tracing the development of populist thought from the Midwest of the late 1800s to post-Great Recession America and beyond, this book presents an engaging, accessible, and timely primer on an influential political ideology.

Nationalism has had a long history in the Western world; understanding its role and emergence is important to understanding how our world functions today. This deep-diving volume considers how nationalism began as a way to unite countries and traces the ideology's evolution through to what it represents today. Readers will learn that it is a fascinating and sometimes contradictory belief system. This guide explains how nationalism can be both a positive and negative force for different kinds of political climates and how this ideology affects the ordinary citizen every day. It also discusses how nationalism affects current political parties on both the conservative and liberal ends of the political spectrum.

Since the modern conservative movement began nearly a century ago, conservatives have made up a large segment of the American population. Readers will trace conservatism from the Great Depression of the 1930s through the modern day under the Trump administration. Conservatism experienced a unifying shift under President Ronald Reagan in the early 1980s and has been thrust into the forefront in the twenty-first century, whereas it had been more of a quiet majority for many years before. Readers will follow that journey and learn more about what it means to be a fiscal conservative or a social conservative, how the ideology of conservatism differs from specific political parties, and how the current political parties break down into conservatives and liberals.