Description
We the People: An Introduction to American Politics, 14th Essentials Edition
Benjamin Ginsberg and Theodore J. Lowi’s We the People has been a standard introduction to American government for three decades. The Essentials edition is the condensed version: the same organising argument about how citizens and institutions shape one another, delivered at a length a single semester can actually cover.
It moves from the constitutional foundations of American government through civil liberties, political behaviour, institutions and public policy, treating federalism as a live political question rather than a settled arrangement.
What the book covers
- Foundations: the founding, the Constitution, and federalism as a live political question rather than a settled arrangement.
- Civil liberties and civil rights: how constitutional guarantees have been contested and redefined through the courts.
- Political behaviour: public opinion, the media, political parties, campaigns, elections and interest groups.
- Institutions: Congress, the presidency, the bureaucracy and the federal judiciary, and how they check one another in practice.
- Public policy: how the system converts political pressure into policy outcomes, domestically and abroad.
Who this book is for
- Undergraduates taking introductory American government or POLS 101.
- AP Government students wanting a college level treatment.
- Anyone preparing for citizenship study, civics teaching or general political literacy.
Why choose the essentials edition
- Built for one semester: the full text condensed without losing the analytical spine.
- Cheaper and lighter than the full length edition, which matters for a required first year text.
- Widely adopted, so used copies and study support are easy to find.
Book details
- Title: We the People: An Introduction to American Politics
- Authors: Benjamin Ginsberg, Theodore J. Lowi
- Edition: 14th Essentials Edition
- Publisher: W. W. Norton and Company
- ISBN-13: 9780393887846
- Format: Paperback, 688 pages
Questions buyers ask
Who is this textbook written for?
Undergraduates in an introductory American government course, AP Government students, and anyone preparing for citizenship study or civics teaching.
How is the Essentials edition different from the full text?
It is the condensed version, built for a single semester and cheaper and lighter than the full length edition, while keeping the same organising argument.
Does it cover the Constitution and civil liberties?
Yes. Foundations, the Constitution and federalism come first, followed by civil liberties and civil rights and how the courts have redefined them.
Does it cover Congress and the presidency?
Yes. A section on institutions covers Congress, the presidency, the bureaucracy and the federal judiciary, and how they check one another in practice.
Is this the paperback edition?
Yes. ISBN 9780393887846 is the W. W. Norton and Company paperback, 688 pages.
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