This revised and updated edition of a classic core textbook – one of the most well-established texts in the field of comparative politics – offers a comprehensive introduction to the comparison of governments and political systems, helping students to understand not just the institutions and political cultures of their own countries but also those of a wide range of democracies and authoritarian regimes from around the world. The book initially provides an overview of key theories and methods for studying comparative politics and is subsequently organised around major themes, such as constitutions and courts, the state, elections, voters, interest groups and political economy. In addition, two common threads run throughout the chapters – the reversal of democracy and declining trust in government – ensuring that the book fully accounts for the rapid developments in politics that have taken place across the world over the last few years. 
Written by an experienced textbook author and featuring a range of engaging learning features, this book is an essential text for undergraduate and postgraduate courses on Comparative Politics, Comparative Government, Introduction to Politics and Introduction to Political Science.