An Introduction to Political Science

Name: An Introduction to Political Science
ISBN: 9787301263525

包刚升Peking University Press · ChinaAug 2025

4.3

Word count: 288K words
Chapters: 114
ISBN: 9787301263525

Report an error Find this book

Summary

Bao Gangsheng, a native of Haining, Zhejiang, studied at the School of Economics and the School of Government of Peking University, and at the Department of Government at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). He received his PhD from Peking University in 2012 and that same year joined the Department of Political Science at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs, Fudan University. His book The Politics of Democratic Breakdown is forthcoming from The Commercial Press, and he is currently directing a project funded by the National Social Science Fund of China.

Editor's review

This is an introductory book on political science for beginners. Author Bao Gangsheng has interdisciplinary training in economics and government management from Peking University and studied in the Department of Government at the London School of Economics and Political Science; since 2012 he has taught in the Department of Political Science at Fudan University's School of International Relations and Public Affairs. This academic background gives the book a comparative politics perspective in addition to its conceptual overview. As a "general education" work, its value lies in presenting the basic concepts, core questions, and analytical frameworks of political science in relatively plain language, helping readers without professional training build a set of coordinates for understanding political phenomena. It is suitable as a general education textbook for lower-level university courses and also for general readers interested in political issues who wish to systematically fill gaps in their knowledge. Reading scenarios can include assigned classroom reading or self-study chapter by chapter. It should be noted that a general education book provides analytical tools and an introductory map, not a complete explanation of real-world politics; readers should read with a questioning mindset and cross-reference other materials.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Lower-level students in political science, international relations, and related majors who need an introductory framework
General readers interested in political issues but lacking systematic training
Those preparing for cross-disciplinary graduate exams or general education electives who need to build a foundation
Media and public affairs professionals who wish to improve their ability to analyze political issues

Not a good fit for

Readers who already have professional training in political science and seek cutting-edge specialized research
Readers expecting in-depth commentary on the current politics of specific countries
Readers who want only light entertainment and are unwilling to engage with conceptual analysis

Reading tips

First read the table of contents to grasp the book's conceptual framework, then read in chapter order; skipping is not necessary.
After finishing each chapter, restate the core concepts in your own words to test whether you truly understand them.
When encountering abstract concepts, analyze them against a real-world case you are familiar with.
After finishing, review the logical relationships among chapters and try to draw a knowledge structure map of the whole book.

About the publisher

Peking University Press China · Founded in 1979

Peking University Press is a comprehensive university press whose publishing areas cover classical literature, popular science, social culture, world history, Western philosophy, and culture. Its catalogue contains 6,031 titles, with representative books including A Dream of Red Mansions, Relativity: The Special and General Theory (15th Edition) (with Einstein's classic papers on unified field theory and other topics), Elements, Conics, The Aristocratic Families of the Eastern Jin, The Philosophy of Mythology (Volume I), The Philosophy of Mythology (Volume II), and The Origin of Continents and Oceans. Representative authors include Cao Xueqin, Zhou Ruchang, Albert Einstein, Euclid, Apollonius, Tian Yuqing, Schelling, and Xian Gang. The press has developed distinctive strengths in classical Chinese literature and in the translation of Western philosophical classics, while also covering scientific classics and social and cultural studies. As public information is limited, this description is based only on the books in the catalogue and offers no further extrapolation.

版权信息
为什么政治很重要？（代序）
第1讲什么是政治？
1.1 政治是国家兴衰的关键
1.2 中国人的政治观
1.3 孔子与韩非政治观的分野
1.4 古希腊人如何理解政治？
1.5 西方的现实主义政治观
1.6 理解政治的当代观点
第2讲政治学：智者如何思考？
2.1 岛屿的寓言：谁之统治？何种秩序？
2.2 什么是政治学？
2.3 古希腊与古罗马的传统
2.4 从“黑暗时代”到启蒙时代
2.5 经验研究范式的兴起
2.6 从政治科学到研究范式的多样化
第3讲意识形态大论战
3.1 政治观点背后的意识形态
3.2 现代意识形态的兴起
3.3 什么是自由主义？
3.4 古典自由主义的大师们
3.5 自由主义的演进与嬗变
3.6 新古典自由主义的复兴
3.7 什么是保守主义？
3.8 撒切尔夫人改革与里根革命
3.9 什么是社会主义？
3.10 从民主社会主义到新工党
3.11 意识形态论战的场域
第4讲政治生活中的国家
4.1 世界版图上的国家
4.2 国家起源的逻辑：安全与暴力
4.3 从封建主义到现代国家
4.4 理解国家的不同维度
4.5 国家理论的不同流派
4.6 国家构建与国家能力
4.7 国家能力的不同视角
第5讲不同的政体：民主、威权与极权
5.1 全球视野中的政体类型
5.2 什么是民主政体？
5.3 民主政体的治理细节
5.4 民主模式的多样性
5.5 民主的悖论与被误解的民主
5.6 威权主义政体的逻辑
5.7 极权主义政体的逻辑
第6讲政府结构与政治制度
6.1 如何理解政府机构？
6.2 政治系统与官僚系统的比较
6.3 政府形式：议会制、总统制与半总统制
6.4 议会制“大战”总统制
6.5 公民投票与选举行为
6.6 不同选举制度的逻辑
6.7 如何理解现代政党？
6.8 政党体制的不同类型
6.9 央地关系：联邦制与单一制
6.10 制度设计与宪法工程学
第7讲法治与公民权利
7.1 国王可以强拆吗？
7.2 政府有权捕杀禽类吗？
7.3 宪政与宪法的基本问题
7.4 宪政与司法审查
7.5 法律体系与司法系统
7.6 公民权利与《世界人权宣言》
第8讲民主转型的政治逻辑
8.1 民主转型遭遇僵局？
8.2 如何理解民主转型？
8.3 民主史：从雅典、英国到现代
8.4 现代化导致民主化？
8.5 驱动民主转型的阶级力量
8.6 政治文化重要吗？
8.7 影响转型的国际因素
8.8 转型政治中的精英行为
第9讲如何参与？为何抗争？
9.1 什么是政治参与？
9.2 政体类型与政治参与
9.3 投票与选举权的普及
9.4 独自打保龄？
9.5 社会运动与非暴力抗争
9.6 如何理解社会运动？
9.7 市民社会理论
第10讲政治文化真的起作用吗？
10.1 政治文化与政治社会化
10.2 托克维尔论政治文化
10.3 阿尔蒙德与公民文化
10.4 英格尔哈特：政治文化的集大成者
10.5 社会资本理论的兴起
第11讲民族主义与族群政治
11.1 什么是民族主义？
11.2 民族主义的起源与理论
11.3 民族国家与族群政治
11.4 族群政治与政治发展
第12讲暴力、革命与内战
12.1 政治的两幅图像
12.2 政治暴力与常见的暴力现象
12.3 政治暴力的类型与逻辑
12.4 国家与社会革命
12.5 内战的理论解释
第13讲经济增长与国家治理的政治学
13.1 蛋糕政治定律
13.2 作为微观基础的经济人假设
13.3 私人部门治理
13.4 公共部门治理
13.5 激励结构与经济增长
13.6 腐败的政治经济学
第14讲如何做政治科学研究？
14.1 你凭什么相信？
14.2 新闻报道中的事实与观点
14.3 社会科学研究的常见谬误
14.4 什么是科学与科学方法？
14.5 社会科学需要探索因果关系
14.6 社会科学与变量语言
14.7 比较研究的主要方法
14.8 社会科学研究的不同类型
14.9 “研究九问”与“洋八股”
后记

FAQ

Can I understand this book without a political science background?

Yes. The book is positioned as a general education reader and assumes no professional background; concepts are explained mainly in plain language. However, political science involves many abstract terms, so it is advisable to slow down, clarify the definition of unfamiliar concepts before moving on, and take notes as needed for better results.

What is the relationship between this book and the author's professional direction?

Author Bao Gangsheng studied at Peking University's School of Economics and School of Government, and at the Department of Government at the London School of Economics and Political Science; after receiving his doctorate from Peking University in 2012, he taught in the Department of Political Science at Fudan University's School of International Relations and Public Affairs, and his research involves comparative political topics such as democratic breakdown. This training background gives the book a comparative politics analytical perspective in addition to its conceptual overview.

Do I need to supplement this book with other materials?

It is advisable to do so. A general education book provides an introductory framework and analytical tools, with limited elaboration on specific issues. Readers can combine it with selections from classic political science texts, current affairs reporting, or case studies for cross-reading, which both reinforces concepts and prevents mistaking the introductory framework for a complete answer to real-world problems.

Related on WeRead

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

包刚升 Author

Bao Gangsheng is a writer in the field of political science. Public information about him is limited, and details such as his nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background are not recorded in the available sources. Judging from his existing works, his writing focuses on the fundamental questions of political science and the modern transformation of states, combining academic exposition with attention to real-world concerns. His representative works, A General Introduction to Political Science and What Is Politics, introduce basic concepts and analytical frameworks of political science to general readers in plain language and clear structure, while The Fate of Great Powers: From Political Crisis to National Modernization examines how institutions evolve in great powers amid crisis and change. Three of his works are included here, all classified under politics, showing a balance between popularizing knowledge and discussing political issues; they are suitable for readers seeking an introduction to political science.