Political conduct /

Philp (Oxford Univ., U.K.), guided here by Harold Lasswell, focuses in this well-argued essay on political process more than on political goals. He cannot avoid speech about character, virtue, and corruption, so he emphasizes the context in which they arise as affording a new understanding of the political. This new understanding is illustrated by reference to a few ancient and many modern political thinkers, more to draw lessons for improving modern liberal democracy than to pursue the core teaching of those older thinkers. It is not evident whether liberal democracy deserves such attention due to its merit or merely because it is the dominant form today. Similarly, myriad examples of political dilemmas notwithstanding, the author ignores the recurrent fundamental questions behind these dilemmas and the limitations all regimes place upon pursuit of excellence. Consideration of those issues would mean inquiring into the goal of political life along with Aristotle and others. Still, Philp's clear exposition of his approach and evident mastery of the modern literature present a thoughtful alternative to older ways and older questions. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through practitioners. C. E. Butterworth University of Maryland College Park