On the Side of the Angels: An Appreciation of Parties and
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Rosenblum, Nancy L., PUBLISHER: Princeton University Press, Political parties are ong>ong>theong>ong> defining institutions ong>ofong> representative democracy ong>andong> ong>ong>theong>ong> darlings ong>ofong> political science. ong>ong>Theong>ong>ir governing ong>andong> electoral functions are among ong>ong>theong>ong> chief concerns ong>ofong> ong>ong>theong>ong> field. Yet most political ong>ong>theong>ong>orists--including democratic ong>ong>theong>ong>orists--ignore or disparage parties as grubby arenas ong>ofong> ambition, obstacles to meaningful political participation ong>andong> deliberation. "On ong>ong>theong>ong> Side ong>ofong> ong>ong>theong>ong> Angels" is a vigorous defense ong>ofong> ong>ong>theong>ong> virtues ong>ofong> parties ong>andong> partisanship, ong>andong> ong>ong>theong>ong>ir worth as a subject for political ong>ong>theong>ong>ory. Nancy Rosenblum's account moves between political ong>ong>theong>ong>ory ong>andong> political science, ong>andong> she uses resources from both fields to outline an appreciation ong>ofong> parties ong>andong> ong>ong>theong>ong> moral distinctiveness ong>ofong> partisanship. She draws from ong>ong>theong>ong> history ong>ofong> political thought ong>andong> identifies ong>ong>theong>ong> main lines ong>ofong> opposition to parties, as well as ong>ong>theong>ong> rare but significant moments ong>ofong> appreciation. Rosenblum ong>ong>theong>ong>n sets forth her own ong>ong>theong>ong>oretical appreciation ong>ofong> parties ong>andong> partisanship. She discusses ong>ong>theong>ong> achievement ong>ofong> parties in regulating rivalries, channeling political energies, ong>andong> creating ong>ong>theong>ong> lines ong>ofong> division that make pluralist politics meaningful. She defends "partisan" as a political identity over ong>ong>theong>ong> much-vaunted status ong>ofong> "independent," ong>andong> she considers where contemporary democracies should draw ong>ong>theong>ong> line in banning parties. "On ong>ong>theong>ong> Side ong>ofong> ong>ong>theong>ong> Angels" ong>ofong>fers an ethics ong>ofong> partisanship that speaks to questions ong>ofong> centrism, extremism, ong>andong> polarization in American party politics. By rescuing parties from ong>ong>theong>ong>ir status as orphans ong>ofong> political philosophy, Rosenblum fills a significant void in political ong>andong> democratic ong>ong>theong>ong>ory.