UNDERSTANDING POLITICS, the proven, best-selling introductory text for Introduction to Political Science, examines the complexities of politics and government in a way that students will find immediately fascinating. Solidly based on three fundamental premises-that politics is a pervasive force in modern society, that government is too important to be left in the hands of the few, and that in a democracy everyone has both the opportunity and the obligation to participate in public life-the text builds on these beliefs, and seeks to "educate to participate." UNDERSTANDINING POLITICS focuses on such pertinent concepts as democracy, dictatorship, citizenship, voting behavior, elections, leadership, ideologies, war, revolution, world politics, and public policy-fundamental concepts that provide students with a view of politics and economics that is at once lucid, nuanced, and empowering.