This textbook introduces key facts about the US government and a framework for understanding its complex political system. It outlines core theoretical insights and analytical tools from modern political science and applies them to the US political system, focusing on these themes: that people face recurrent collective dilemmas and principal-agent problems; that political institutions are intended to solve those dilemmas and problems; and that the details of those institutions affect how costs and benefits are allocated in society. It integrates a problem-based approach to concepts and information, comparisons to other countries, examples of how institutions work (new to this edition), and historical events. This edition also has updated data and more examples of real events. Annotation ©2014 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com) Read Less