Volume II covers the party system in American politics. It discusses the pitfalls and benefits of the two-party system that has become entrenched. He describes for those who are unfamiliar with it how American political parties use their power, and explains for the benefit of all how the peculiar American interpretation of political parties came to be. He further delves into the political machine, corruption, and the doling out of favors.
Bryce attempts to clarify how Americans, whom he has deemed a generally honorable people, could approve or allow such evils within their system of government without themselves being guilty of corruption and evil. His observations of the American character are deft and may be as informative to Americans themselves as they are to foreign readers.

Anyone with an interest in politics or American history will find Bryce's commentary penetratingly insightful.


British historian VISCOUNT JAMES BRYCE (1838-1922) attended the University of Glasgow and Trinity College, Oxford. He is best known for his scholarship of the Holy Roman Empire. His popular works include Studies in History and Jurisprudence (1901) and Studies in Contemporary Biography (1903).