In countries as diverse as Brazil, Ecuador, France, Russia, South Africa, and the United States, presidents have come to dominate the politics and political cultures of their nations. Michael Mezey offers a comprehensive cross-national study of the presidency, tracing the historical and intellectual roots of executive power and exploring in detail the contemporary forces that have driven a turn toward “presidentialism.

Contents: Preface. 1. An Introduction to Presidentialism. 2. An Intellectual History of Executive Power. 3. A Comparative Perspective on Presidential Power. 4. Presidentialism and the Size of Government. 5. Presidentialism and Globalism. 6. Presidentialism and the People. 7. The Perils and Promise of Presidentialism.Bibliography. Index.