Study Questions for Little, Chapter 6

  1. What is the author's main point?
  2. What are the characteristics of a materialist explanation?
  3. How do material features of a society exert causal influence over nonmaterial features?
  4. What are the main components of the materialist research tradition?
  5. Does Miliband (Example 6.5) adequately explain the U.S. state?
  6. How and why does class matter?
  7. How is (political) stability maintained?
  8. What are some examples of false consciousness in the U.S.?
  9. What is a weakness often found in materialist accounts?
  10. How are the Marxist and rational choice approaches related?
  11. What are some advantages of the materialist approach?
  12. Why does any of this matter to political scientists?

Things to look for/keep in mind for future readings:

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