Political behavior

THE COLLECTION of articles and studies brought together in this Reader represents an admittedly self-conscious and in many respects venture some enterprise.If one were to enumerate the most character istic features of political research as an academic interest, neither empirically oriented theory nor sophisticated research methodology would likely be named as outstanding attributes. The main body of political theory, as practiced in our colleges and universities, is concerned with the critical evaluation of past speculative systems, that is, a history of political doctrines. Another major concern of political theory is frankly moralnormative and prescriptive of current politics.
Research, on the other hand, is most often cast in a historical, broadly institutional and juridical mold. The situation does not need further comment here. David Easton, in The Political System, has sought to evaluate the tasks in reorienting political theory to empirical research.1 More recently, Roy Macridis has presented a balanced critique of the traditional study of comparative government.
This Reader includes viewpoints that are explicitly critical and symptomatic of a dissatisfaction with the present state of political science. Only because the prevailing ferment has outgrown its original critical defensiveness does this volume have a raison d'être. But it is not a main purpose of this collection to express dissatisfaction. Never theless, this Reader is conceived as an effort in persuasion. By presenting some of the representative efforts in the political behavior approach, we hope to suggest its future promise.