Robert R. Alford (1928–2003)

In this book modern political theories are classified in three categories: pluralist, managerial and class theories. They can be linked to the pioneering works of Durkheim, Weber and Marx, respectively. The authors focus on what each theory says about capitalism, democracy and the state, but I thought their analysis was dull and uninformative. They describe specific works in far too much detail without reaching any interesting general conclusions. They attempt a little synthesis toward the show more end of the book, but it's presented in such obscure sociological jargon that I had no idea what they were really trying to say. This book also feels badly out of date since it gives such a prominent stature to marxist class theory. But at least that indicates some progress in the 25 years after it was published. show less