{"product_id":"2026200018532-secondhand-the-amateur-democrat-club-politics-in-three-cities","title":"The Amateur Democrat: Club Politics In Three Cities","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition remarks:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBook: Good\u003cbr\u003eJacket: No dust jacket\u003cbr\u003ePages: Good\u003cbr\u003eCondition remarks: Condition as shown in image\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt the intersection of idealism and political machinery, The Amateur Democrat: Club Politics in Three Cities presents a landmark study of a fascinating postwar phenomenon — the rise of the amateur politician, a new breed of civic activist who challenged the entrenched, patronage-driven Democratic Party organizations in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. James Q. Wilson meticulously chronicles the internal workings of these grassroots Democratic clubs, dissecting the motivations, tactics, and ideological commitments that set the amateur apart from the seasoned, pragmatic party professional. With the precision of a political scientist and the narrative clarity of a seasoned observer, Wilson illustrates how these citizen-activists prized principle over compromise, often clashing bitterly with the old guard machines that had long dominated urban Democratic politics.\n\nBeyond its vivid case studies, this work argues persuasively that the tension between amateur idealism and professional pragmatism is not merely a historical curiosity but a fundamental and enduring fault line within American liberal politics. Wilson's analysis anticipates the broader transformation of the Democratic Party in the decades that followed, making this text a prescient and indispensable work of political sociology. Rigorous in its methodology yet compellingly readable, it raises a question that still resonates today: can a political movement built on moral conviction survive — or must it ultimately bend to the imperatives of power?\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Secondhand Stock","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50736402858203,"sku":"2026200018532-SECONDHAND","price":12.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0523\/7646\/9701\/files\/467ee079-5602-44a8-b36f-ad27e2baf9e8.png?v=1792122925","url":"https:\/\/bookgrocer.com\/products\/2026200018532-secondhand-the-amateur-democrat-club-politics-in-three-cities","provider":"Book Grocer","version":"1.0","type":"link"}