For today's busy student, we've created a new line of highly portable books at affordable prices. Each title in the Books agrave; la Carte Plus program features the exact same content from our traditional textbook in a convenient notebook-ready, loose-leaf version allowing students to take only what they need to class. As an added bonus, each Books agrave; la Carte Plus edition is accompanied by an access code to all of the resources found in one of our best-selling multimedia products. Best of all? Our Books agrave; la Carte Plus titles cost less than a used textbook! Comparative Politics Todayis the text that helped define the discipline of comparative politics, and it continues to set the standard in examining the purpose of government and comparing the worldrs"s diverse political systems. Written by leading comparativists and area study specialists, this text begins with chapters that clarify key concepts in politics and government and show how theoretical frameworks describe and analyze the differences and the similarities among countries. The twelve country studies that follow focus on countries that are leaders within their regions and the larger world. Each country study includes the most current information and consistently applies the theoretical framework to explore broad issues like why some countries modernize more quickly or why some are more democratic. With numerous photos, figures, and tables to clarify complex political data and structures,Comparative Politics Todayhelps students learn about other countries, regions, and the world, and it will help them ask-and answer-fundamental questions about politics and government.