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Contents vii
Conclusion 44
Self-Assessment Questions 44
Weblinks 45
Further Reading 45
Film and Video Clips 45
14 Conclusion 371
Learning Objectives 372
Introduction 372
What Have We Learned? 372
Where Do We Go from Here? 378
Conclusion 380
Self-Assessment Questions 380
Weblinks 380
Further Reading 381
Film and Video Clips 381
Notes 382
Glossary 389
Index 396
Boxes
1.1 Career Paths for Political Studies Graduates 7 5.7 Can Government “Stop”? Lessons from the Clinton Era
1.2 Behaviouralism after World War II 13 and Today 123
1.3 Involvement: Apathy to Action 17 5.8 Does a Cabinet Minister Have to Be Elected? 131
1.4 Citizenship Quiz 20 5.9 The Charter: Individual or Collective Rights? 134
2.1 Institutions and Development 27 6.1 The European Union: A Modern Confederation 142
2.2 The Concept of Nation and Sovereignty 6.2 Scottish Independence 144
in Canada 28 6.3 Switzerland 147
2.3 The Abuse of Power 31 6.4 The United States 147
2.4 The Cult of Personality 32 6.5 The United States of Mexico 148
2.5 Charismatic Leadership 34 6.6 India: Centralized Government in the World’s Largest
2.6 Rising Violent Crime and the Crisis of State Legitimacy Democracy 151
in Central America 38 6.7 Why Ottawa? 153
2.7 Economic Justice and the Welfare State 40 6.8 Fiscal Federalism 157
2.8 Community and the Individual 42 6.9 Natural Resources 159
3.1 Plato (427–347 BCE) 50 7.1 Who Gets to Vote? 170
3.2 Aristotle (384–322 BCE) 51 7.2 Gerrymandering 172
3.3 Deductive and Inductive Methods 52 7.3 Rock the Vote 173
3.4 Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527) 53 7.4 The Suffragette Movement 173
3.5 Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) 55 7.5 Negative Campaigning 184
3.6 John Locke (1632–1704) 59 7.6 Campaign Finances and the 2016 US Presidential
3.7 Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) 60 Campaign 185
3.8 Adam Smith (1723–90) 62 8.1 The Symbols of Canada as a Form of Political
3.9 John Stuart Mill (1806–73) 63 Socialization 196
3.10 Karl Marx (1818–83) 67 8.2 How to Remember Canada’s First Prime Minister? 198
3.11 Energy Efficiency 73 8.3 Citizen Kane 201
3.12 John Rawls (1921–2002) 76 8.4 Aló, Presidente: Hugo Chavez and the Control of
4.1 The Problem with Sovereignty 91 Venezuelan Television 202
4.2 Equalization in Canada 94 8.5 Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation 203
4.3 The Welfare State 96 8.6 Civil Society and Globalization 205
4.4 Unwritten Constitutions 100 8.7 International Trade and Public Relations: The NAFTA
4.5 The Constitution Act, 1982 101 Lobby 212
4.6 Democracy Topples Authoritarianism? 105 9.1 What Is “Development”? 222
4.7 Are Governors General Just Ceremonial? 107 9.2 Political Economy 223
5.1 Gun Laws and Levels of Government 114 9.3 One World? 224
5.2 VP or Senator? Joe Lieberman and the 2000 US 9.4 Bretton Woods and Political Order 226
Election 116 9.5 Slavery and the American Civil War 232
5.3 Question Period or Shouting Match? 117 9.6 “Third” Parties in US Politics 234
5.4 When Parties Must Co-operate: Coalition 9.7 Will Turkey Join the EU? 242
Governments 118 9.8 Why Brussels? 244
5.5 The Ultimate Power? The Right to Declare War 120 10.1 The Human Development Index 254
5.6 Constitutionality and Same-Sex Marriage 121 10.2 The Beijing Olympics and Internet Censorship 257
Boxes xvii
10.3 Colombia: The War on Drugs and the FARC 258 11.9 The End of the Soviet Union 304
10.4 AIDS, Maternal Health, and the 11.10 Woodrow Wilson and the Failure of the League of
Developing World 260 Nations 308
10.5 Education, Gender, and the Oportunidades 11.11 Diplomacy Goes Awry: April Glaspie and Saddam
Program 261 Hussein 311
10.6 The Brundtland Commission Report and Sustainable 12.1 Human Security 323
Development 262 12.2 “Anarchy in the UK” 324
10.7 The Politics of Population: Nigeria 264 12.3 Just Wars 327
10.8 The Tiananmen Square Massacre 268 12.4 “Video Game” War, 1991 329
10.9 Taiwan 271 12.5 The Debate on Terror in the United States 332
10.10 Mexico’s Student Movement, Media Bias, and the 2012 12.6 Intervention Failure: Rwanda 333
Elections 275 13.1 International Economic Organizations and Their
10.11 Canada in Afghanistan 283 Functions 348
11.1 Domestic and International Politics: Building a Wall 291 13.2 The US–EU Banana Dispute 354
11.2 The Twitter Effect: Elections in Iran 292 13.3 The Great Crash of 1929 356
11.3 Cliché Alert! The “Global Village” 293 13.4 The Euromarkets 358
11.4 Patriotism or Nationalism? 295 13.5 Foreign Aid and Tied Aid 359
11.5 NATO 298 13.6 The G7 and Multilateral Leadership 361
11.6 Human Migration 299 13.7 The New NAFTA 363
11.7 The Occupy Movement 300 13.8 Brazil and Renewable Energy 365
11.8 Cultural Sensitivity: Torres Strait Islanders and 14.1 From “Me to We”: Marc and Craig Kielburger 374
Australia 302 14.2 The Politics of Climate Change 375
Preface
One of the most difficult tasks for a professor in introducing students to the study of pol-
itics is choosing the right textbook. Every instructor has his or her own preferences about
the material, concepts, themes, and pedagogy contained in a first-year political science
text; therefore, no book could possibly meet every requirement and partiality. Putting
together an introductory text, then, is a delicate endeavour. How might one assemble a
coherent volume that both addresses disparate views on what is to be presented and poses
some fresh and innovative ideas?
This book is an attempt to answer that question. Fundamentally, its intent is to pro-
vide undergraduate students with a comprehensive and thoughtful introduction to the
study of politics. This text incorporates some essential questions that define politics, such
as: Who has power in society, and why? How do individuals and groups participate in pol-
itics and governance? How can we distinguish among so many types of political systems?
Why is conflict so prevalent in the world today? How is wealth distributed, and why does
such inequity exist? In our design of this book, we considered a wide variety of theoretical,
analytical, and empirical ways to answer these questions. We decided that the best method
was to lead you through different approaches, topics, and examples. This text presents you
with a challenge: you may or may not already have views on politics, but by the time you
finish this book and course, you will likely have more questions than before. You might
also think differently and more critically about what you assume you already know! If
that’s the case, this book will have done its job.
Organization
This book is organized to introduce you to the study of politics in a comprehensive and
constructive manner. Chapter 1 presents the fundamental nature of politics and the field
of political studies. We explore some major approaches, concepts, and themes in the study
of politics in this chapter, as well as how politics affects so many aspects of our daily lives.
We also discuss the nature of citizenship and what it means in the specific context of being
Canadian. The substance of this chapter lays the foundations for the rest of the text.
Chapters 2 and 3 examine some of the major terms and areas of political thought in
greater detail. Chapter 2 begins with an exploration of some important political concepts,
including power, government, the state, legitimacy, equality and justice, and sovereign-
ty. You will need a solid understanding of these terms and ideas in order to articulate
your own ideas about politics and governance and to understand relationships between
political actors and institutions. The chapter also addresses identity and how we connect
with and relate to others in society. Chapter 3 follows with an overview of political philoso-
phy and the major schools of thought used in political science, such as liberalism, socialism
and communism, conservatism, environmentalism, feminism, post-colonial thought, na-
tionalism, and fascism. It looks at both traditional and critical political ideologies and the
ideas that have driven the study of politics. The chapter identifies influential thinkers as-
sociated with each of these schools of thought and attempts to plot each perspective on an
ideological spectrum. This chapter refers to ideologies and political philosophy in Canada
and provides an overview of other approaches, such as Confucianism and political Islam.
Preface xix
Chapters 4, 5, and 6 focus on the importance of government and the roles and re-
sponsibilities that governments have in our lives. These chapters begin to unpack the com-
plexity of government organizations and their internal checks and balances, to give you
a more concrete sense of how government works (or doesn’t). In Chapter 4, we examine
the main forms of government throughout history and into the present day. The chapter
deals with systems of government, the nature of government, objectives and activities of
different governments, and points of view regarding the fundamental role that govern-
ment ought to play. In this chapter, we explain the distinctions among liberal democracies,
authoritarian governments, and totalitarian systems. Government in Canada is given spe-
cial attention here. Chapter 5 covers primary structures and roles of government agencies
and institutions. It delves into the important levels of government activity, including the
executive, legislative, judicial, and bureaucratic divisions. The two main types of govern-
ment systems in the world today, parliamentary and presidential, are also compared and
contrasted. Finally, Chapter 6 considers how different political systems are organized in
terms of their responsibilities and decision-making systems. Unitary, federal, confederal,
and devolved political systems are all examined, with special attention to the history and
development of power-sharing in Canada.
Chapters 7 and 8 are concerned with the roles played by individuals and groups in
society. Chapter 7 considers decision-making and electoral systems, campaign contribu-
tions, elections and referendums, and political parties. Chapter 8 picks up the theme and
looks at the social and political process of participation. Education, opinion polls, social-
ization, advocacy groups, media, and culture all have abundant effects on how our polit-
ical systems are run and the role we play in them. Together, these two chapters trace the
formulation of ideas and information that influence citizens and the way in which these
ideas are played out on the political stage.
The next section of the book is dedicated to country case studies. This examination
of politics is undertaken in a comparative context, considering the multitude of paths to
development in today’s world and the struggles that countries confront along the way. We
begin in Chapter 9 with a consideration of politics and economics in what are commonly
defined as “developed” countries, including Canada, the United States, South Korea, and
members of the European Union. These cases offer distinct examples of how political and
economic spheres influence governance. Chapter 10 carries this discussion to what we
often call the “developing world,” contemplating some of the significant approaches and
perspectives regarding development and, in particular, how the development process is as
varied as the countries involved. By way of example, the chapter surveys the development
experiences in China, Mexico, India, and Afghanistan, presenting a diverse stance on the
myriad issues facing countries in the developing world. As part of the analysis in these
chapters, we acknowledge the complexity in defining a country as either “developed” or
“developing” and assert that this dichotomy might not be as useful as we once thought it
was. A country might be considered “developed” according to some criteria, but “devel-
oping” in others, which suggests that a tendency towards blanket categorizations might
obscure the truth on the ground in any given country.
The final chapters take on the study of politics on the world stage, using some of the
primary concepts and themes discussed earlier in the book. Chapter 11 examines the state
and sovereignty in a modern world, as well as the nature of and approaches to the interna-
tional system. This chapter scrutinizes some current themes and issues in global politics,
xx Preface
Key Features
Pedagogical Features
Political studies, like any other academic discipline, has its own vocabulary and terminol-
ogy. Marginal definitions, provided in each chapter, emphasize key terms and concepts,
and a full glossary is included at the end of the book. Every chapter contains self-assessment
questions, a list of further readings, and suggested websites. Throughout the chapters,
boxes provide specific examples of important themes, events, and actors. Images, tables,
graphs, and figures illustrate important points without interfering with the text itself.
Finally, an index of all important terms, concepts, themes, events, and individuals is
included at the end of the book.
Theoretical Framework
Most introductory textbooks begin with a survey of significant concepts (e.g., the state,
power, government, legitimacy, etc.) and a review of the philosophical tradition of politi-
cal analysis (Plato’s Republic, Aristotle’s Politics, Hobbes’s Leviathan, and so on). Taking a
comparative theoretical approach (meaning that no specific theory is used as a core focus),
this text shows how the development of theory in political studies flavours the manner in
which we must consider a contemporary and changing political climate, both domestic and
international. The methodology of this text is not intended to be heavy-handed or overly
theoretical; theory is central to the purpose of the book, but the book’s principal goal is to
demonstrate the sensitive and changing nature of philosophical thought in politics.
Acknowledgements
Like any book project, this text is the product of various contributions from many people.
In the very early stages, Oxford University Press sales and editorial representative Alan
Mulder and acquisitions editor Katherine Skene were largely responsible for urging us to
move ahead with a prospectus for a new introductory textbook in political studies. We are
grateful to them for their vision and support.
A number of developmental editors were involved with the production of this
book and its three editions. Peter Chambers deserves recognition for his good humour,
Preface xxi
rofessionalism, and encouragement, which made work on the second edition a true
p
pleasure. Leah-Ann Lymer and Richard Tallman demonstrated endless patience and pro-
fessionalism on the third edition, and their comments and insights on all chapters are
most highly valued.
This book has also benefited from the many useful comments made by several col-
leagues who took on the task of reviewing it in its many stages. We are indebted to them
for their time and suggestions, which have contributed to this final work. We join the
publisher in thanking the following reviewers, along with those who wish to remain anon-
ymous, whose thoughtful remarks have helped to shape this text as well: Todd Alway,
McMaster University; Mona Brash, Camosun College; Terry L. Chapman, Medicine Hat
College; Noemi Gal-Or, Kwantlen Polytechnic University; Logan Masilamani, Simon
Fraser University; Marda Schindeler, Lethbridge College; John Soroski, Grant MacEwan
University; Yasmine Shamsie, Wilfrid Laurier University; Manuel Balan, McGill Univer-
sity; Saira Bano, Mount Royal University; Bruce Foster, Mount Royal University; Donal
Gill, Dawson College and Vanier College; Kevin Ginnell, Douglas College and Simon
Fraser University; Jason Morris, University of Northern British Columbia; Ross Michael
Pink, Kwantlen Polytechnic University; David Pond, University of Toronto; Paul Prosperi,
Langara College; Claudia Schaler, St. Francis Xavier University; Bruce Smardon, York
University; Jeffrey Spring, St. Francis Xavier University; and Andrew Wender, University
of Victoria.
We would be remiss in not thanking our students, who have inspired us to always
question what we think we know and to be open to new perspectives. The improvements
in the second and third editions are in many ways due to them and their aspirations for
excellence.
Some of our associates and research assistants were fundamental in the completion
of parts of this book. We would like to thank Rashide Assad at the Instituto Tecnológico
Autónomo de México (ITAM) for her extremely important help on this project. We also
thank the University of New Brunswick, the University of Manitoba, ITAM, and the Aso-
ciacion Mexicana de Cultura for their support during the writing of this book.
We have discovered that writing a book such as this one takes more than simple au-
thoring. It is the result of efforts both small and large by numerous people, some close
friends and associates, and some colleagues we have not met. The final product is our own,
however, and we alone take responsibility for any errors it may contain.
Features
Thorough Analysis
The text presents a survey of political concepts and ideologies before examining top-
ics such as the importance of government; political systems, participation, and culture;
developed and developing countries; global security; and the international political
economy.
AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini
Canada and around the world. Chapters 9 and 10
now include new case studies of South Korea and
Afghanistan. Afghan President Hamid Karzai shows indelible ink on his finger before he casts his vote in Kabul during the
2014 election. He was not eligible to run for re-election that year because he had just completed his second-
term in office.
intimidation, low voter turnout, and violence. Parliamentary and presidential elections in
the fall of 2019 were complicated by security concerns and allegations of fraud, but Presi-
dent Ghani appeared to have won by a slim majority of votes.
The importance of socio-economic status must also be taken into account. A person’s
belief system and values will be fundamentally influenced by the economic and social
opportunities available to him or her. To give a simplistic example, someone in a high tax
bracket is less likely to be in favour of a progressive taxation system that requires the rich to
pay more income tax than people who make less money.
It is also common for people to adopt political views similar to those of their peers, a
process that is easy to understand when we consider how much time we spend with people
of comparable income levels and backgrounds. Think about your own political views and
how they have been shaped by, or been reactions to, the views of your friends.
A further influence on political socialization comes from one’s geographical region. The
predominant political views of the local society will play an important role in determining
what an individual comes to believe. The importance of community versus the individual,
traditional versus modern values, and identity will all be significant factors. In Canada, the
regional component of political socialization is obvious. A less interventionist political cul-
ture exists in provinces such as Alberta than it does in provinces such as Saskatchewan. We
cannot understand political socialization in Quebec without the elements of language and
identity. In the north of Canada and particularly in the territories, Indigenous cultures and
values play a role in the process.
Currency
The text’s focus on the latest political develop-
11.1 • Domestic and International Politics: Building a Wall
ments illustrates the dynamic nature of the politi- During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump prom- wall. That said, the effectiveness of the proposed wall at curb-
ised Americans that, if elected, he would build a wall along the ing illegal border crossings remains in question.1
cal landscape. This updated edition includes new 2,000 mile US–Mexico border—and have Mexico pay for it. The
border is patrolled and already had over 600 miles of fencing;
This case represents a good example of domestic and
international politics intersecting. President Trump’s insis-
the wall would expand on the existing structure. President tence on a border wall and the Democrats’ refusal to acquiesce
coverage of populism, the rebirth of protectionist Trump’s rationale for the border wall, with a conservative cost
estimate of $25 billion and as much as a $70 billion price tag
caused significant consequences for government employees,
the national economy, and those living in the country. At the
according to some calculations, is to mitigate illegal migration same time, the debate about immigration and border crossings
nationalism, and the politics of climate change. and drug trafficking. A Pew Research Center poll conducted in
January 2018 showed that 60 per cent of Americans opposed
and the inhumane treatment at the border of asylum seekers,
immigrant families, and children by Trump administration offi-
Trump’s proposal. cials affected America’s global reputation and its relationships
In December of 2018, a partial government shutdown with other countries, particularly Mexico. (See also Box 11.6.)
came into effect when the Senate refused to pass legislation
that included $5 billion for the wall. The shutdown left over
800,000 employees without pay, jammed up government ser-
vices, and dampened the economy. However, President Trump
insisted that he would allow the shutdown to continue until
funding for the wall flowed. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy
here is to familiarize you with some of the main concepts, structures, and issues facing those
who study international politics today.
goods but never enough is done to rectify the situation. It leaves one wondering whether
we, as a collective, are truly interested in making the necessary changes to provide for global
equality.
Cast your memory back to the earliest parts of your course, when we explained several
concepts (some new, some familiar). At this point, it should be obvious that we need to
understand the terminology before we can really get into any topic. It is a bit like getting
to know the characters before settling into a book or a movie. Concepts are not exactly the
characters of this book, but we can agree that, like any character, there are multiple angles
we can use to describe or use them. For example, it is unlikely that the person who sits next
to you in class has exactly the same view of, say, power that you do. You may agree on certain
The last few months, however, are so filled with duties and
obligations that he has few moments for reflection. Before he knows
it June and graduation are upon him. He then attends his own
Graduation Ball. Just prior to the last dance, once again the First
Class assembles in the center of the room, gives its class yell
followed by the three cries:
Never again!
CHAPTER XI
STRENGTHENING THE MORAL FIBER
Under this strong influence of discipline come men from all sections
of our great country and from all classes of society. Viewed exteriorly
they are, upon reporting, as motley a looking lot as could be
imagined. An examination of their interiors would reveal natures and
characters of equal variety. Some come from homes where they
have received the most careful moral nurture; others from
environments of vague and lax standards. Side by side with youths
who are models of truth are lads with uncertain ideas of right and
wrong. Among the throng are brilliant boys and stupid ones; well-
educated lads and those whose advantages have been of the most
limited sort; sons of rich men and boys who have known the
meaning of want. From everywhere they come: from the city and
from the farm; from the mountain and from the plain.
It is interesting to dwell for a moment on the following table
showing the sources of the personnel of the cadet body. Herein are
listed the occupations of the parents of the cadets and the number
engaged in each, covering a period of fifty years.
Accountants 3
Agents 62
Architects 5
Artists 4
Auctioneer 1
Auditor 1
Author 1
Baggagemaster 1
Bakers 4
Bankers and bank officers 90
Barbers 4
Bookkeepers 18
Brewers 3
Brokers 40
Builders 2
Butchers 2
Capitalist 1
Chief of police 1
City marshal 1
Clergymen 128
Clerk of House of Representatives 1
Clerks 90
Collectors 4
Commercial travelers 13
Conductors 2
Contractors 38
Cook 1
Cotton buyer 1
County officers 74
Cutlery commissioner 1
Dairyman 2
Dentists 14
Detectives 2
Distiller 1
Dock commissioner 1
Dock master 1
Draftsman 1
Druggists 13
Editors 62
Electroplater 1
Engineers:
Civil 13
Mechanical 10
Locomotive 3
Stationary 1
Enlisted men 4
Express business 2
Farmers and planters 1,149
Fishing master 1
Foreman 1
Gardeners 3
General business 5
Hatter 1
Heads of corporations 10
Hotel keepers 55
Iceman 1
Importer 1
Inspector of buildings 1
Inspectors of factories 2
Inspectors of police 2
Insurance business 38
Inventor 1
Jewelers 3
Journalists 8
Justice of peace 1
Laborers 29
Lawyers and judges 645
Letter carriers 1
Librarians 2
Lithographer 1
Liverymen 15
Lumbermen 20
Manager of brewery 1
Manager of engines and boilers 1
Manager of factory 1
Manager of land company 1
Manufacturers 151
Marble dealer 1
Mechanics 341
Member of city board 1
Member of State Legislature 1
Members of Congress 32
Merchant tailor 1
Merchants 722
Messenger 1
Millers 11
Mining 26
Museum keeper 1
Musician, band leader 1
Musicians 2
Newspaper correspondent 1
Newspaper manager 1
No occupation 191
Nurserymen 6
Officers of the Army 362
Officers of the Navy 59
Officers of volunteers 21
Oil business 2
Overseers 4
Photographers 6
Physicians 367
Pilot 1
Policemen 7
Police justices 2
Politicians 3
Postmasters 5
President of manufacturing company 1
President of steam heating company 1
President of wire mill 1
Presidents of colleges 4
Presidents of insurance companies 3
Printers 12
Professors 27
Proprietor of elevator company 1
Publishers 8
Railroad employees 6
Railroad officers 13
Ranchmen 2
Real estate 37
Restaurant keeper 1
Salesmen 5
Saloonkeeper 1
School teachers 56
Secretaries 14
Ship captains 25
Speculators 10
State officers 27
Steamboatman 1
Steward 1
Stock dealers (cattle) 10
Stock raisers 6
Stocks 1
Superintendent of coal and iron company 1
Superintendent of factory 1
Superintendent of iron work 1
Superintendent of mine 1
Superintendent of prison 1
Superintendent of railroad 1
Superintendents of gas works 2
Superintendents of schools 4
Surveyors 5
Tanners 2
Teacher of garment cutting 1
Teacher of music 1
Teamster 1
Theater manager 1
Undertakers 5
United States civil officers 85
Unknown 39
Wagonmaster 1
Warden of prison 1
It is to the sons of men in this list that West Point applies its
discipline in order to create the type of officer that the Government
desires for its Army. From them must be eliminated the unfit and the
unworthy during the molding process to which they are subjected.
From the moment that a cadet enters West Point, his past life,
experiences, advantages, record, disappear into oblivion so far as
the authorities and other cadets are concerned. No reference is ever
made to any cadet’s home, to his connections, to his family, unless
he introduces the subject. Once he becomes a cadet, a new clean
sheet of his life is started for him, and whatever is entered thereon
depends solely upon himself. Every man at West Point has the same
chance—the chance of advancement based upon merit and
efficiency and upon nothing else. It makes no difference to the
officers in charge or to the other cadets whether a man’s family is
wealthy or distinguished. As a matter of fact this information is
rarely known because all of the cadets report together; they are
totally unknown to those in charge so that there is no possible way
to ascertain anything about the cadet’s antecedents. They lose their
identity completely, and so much so that the upper-classmen take
months to learn their real names, meanwhile calling them by the
generic names, Ducrot, Dumbguard, and Dumbjohn.
And then again, the cadets are free from the distinctions and the
social barriers that money creates. They are prohibited from
receiving any money from their homes and are not allowed the
handling of the pay that they receive from the Government. Instead,
the authorities supply all of their wants, their food, their clothing,
their books, their amusements, so that they might have no need of
cash. In fact there is but one store on the reservation where they
can spend money, and that is a place called “The Boodlers,” a sort of
a general store at the foot of the hill near the gas tank. Here they
may, if out of debt, obtain a permit for two dollars per month, and
only those cadets with permits are allowed even to enter the store.
In this ideal democracy, among the influences that are considered
prejudicial to good order and military discipline are drinking,
gambling, and cigarette smoking. All alcoholic drinks are
consequently banished from the life of the young embryo officer, for
he must keep a clear brain in order to think straight and master his
problems. He is permitted only the wholesome beverages of milk,
tea, and coffee that are supplied in the greatest abundance.
Occasionally there is a case of drinking among the cadet body, but
as a vice, intoxication does not exist at the Military Academy. One
has only to look at the healthy ruddy complexions of the cadets to
be convinced of the truth of this statement. Any girl might envy
them their skins, whose brilliancy and transparency would soon
disappear if late hours and beer were permitted. Nor is there any
gambling in the Corps, unless the betting of one’s ice cream on the
result of some football game be so considered. The cadets are not
even allowed the use of cards or of any games of chance. They may
not indulge in so harmless a pastime as bridge. Their chief solace in
their free moments must be their pipes of briar, for cigarettes are
frowned upon and regarded as contraband of war, liable to seizure
by any Tactical officer. The weed is confiscated and the cadet
receives a report. What becomes of those confiscated cigarettes has
always been a matter of great speculation. Tactical officers are
always under suspicion. I remember one case where a cadet was
caught with three hundred cigarettes in his possession and told by
his officer to turn them in at the Guardhouse. This order grieved the
cadet very much because he felt that perhaps someone else would
enjoy those cherished smokes. He therefore bored a hole in each
one with a pin, before complying with his directions. Soon after
turning in the cigarettes, he was reported for having mutilated them
and was made to walk punishment tours on the Area for many days.
The inference was that some disappointed Tactical officer could not
make the cigarettes draw.
This rigid code of discipline to which the cadet is subjected for four
years and the influence of the honor system in the Corps develop in
him to a high degree the sentiment of duty. At West Point duty
comes first. The idea is that when a cadet is given a task to perform
he will approach it with a strength of purpose that never gets weary
or tired. It teaches him to make his resolve so strong that he can
listen to the murmurings of the ignorant, to their sophistry, receive
their insults and slanders, conscious that the ideals for which he
stands will eventually triumph. It is the sentiment that will sustain
him not only in time of war, for then he has the sympathy of the
people, but in time of peace when the average layman who does not
understand the character of his work condemns it as an activity that
produces nothing.
Hovering over both the grounds and the buildings is the influence of
the flag. As a cadet sees it floating from its tall white staff, somehow
it has come to have a different meaning from the days when he was
a care-free civilian. It seems to him to possess a personality of which
he never before was aware. He feels for it a real reverence, because
he is conscious of being in the presence of something big, as if
beholding the whole power of a nation. He sees in it the emblem of
the country’s sovereignty and the symbol to which he has pledged
his life’s service. Mingled with his feeling of reverence is his personal
affection. Day after day he has watched it silhouetted against the
sky and has felt the thrill of patriotism, when it was being lowered at
retreat to the accompaniment of The Star Spangled Banner.
It is not to the beauty of Nature and to the flag alone that the cadet
must turn for his spiritual refreshment. The Chaplain, a man with a
fine grip upon the Corps, gathers together in classes those cadets
who desire to come, and explains to them the word of God. His Bible
classes today are a continuation of the famous classes that were
held at West Point for so many years by Miss Anna Warner. During
the summer encampment, she taught her boys in the old chapel
after the morning services, where for one hour the cadets received
from her sainted lips an interpretation of the Scriptures, and were
elevated by contact with her noble character. I can see her before
me now, her quaint silk dress, her small delicate body, her ethereal
face framed in the neatest and whitest of curls that peeped from out
of her charming poke bonnet. Her whole presence radiated
goodness and spirituality. Prior to the dismissal of the class she
would regularly present to each cadet a fragrant little bouquet of
flowers that she had that morning gathered from her modest
garden, and arranged into the daintiest of nosegays. These few
flowers were simple, like the donor, but they brought into the life of
the recipient a spiritual perfume that awakened his memories and
took him back home to rose-scented gardens and neat graveled
paths where another sainted woman was praying for the welfare of
his soul. So he took the little nosegay back to camp with him and
put it carefully in his tumblerful of water alongside of his tent, as a
reminder of what he should be, and as a check on ignoble impulses.
Here and there in his own company streets, he would see his
comrades’ bouquets, little dashes of color, the red of the petunia, the
blue of the cornflower, the yellow of the marigold, and as they
caught his eye they seemed to be a part of Miss Warner still exerting
her inspiring influence.
It is regrettable that the cadets of the future will never have the
good fortune to know her, for last year (1916) she passed to her
reward after ninety years in the service of God. Although it is rare
that anyone outside the Academy is buried in the cemetery at West
Point, her body was laid to rest there, near the bluff that overlooks
the Hudson and in sight of her home on Constitution Island across
the river, that a short time before her death she generously gave to
the Government. To the Corps of Cadets that she loved, she willed a
magnificent original portrait of Washington by Gilbert Stuart, that
now hangs in the library.
Her Bible class still goes on. Every Sunday when the weather is fair
the Chaplain takes the cadets over to Constitution Island, where,
under the trees that Miss Warner loved so well, he continues her
work. If Miss Warner sees her “boys” studying the word of God in
the shadow of the old Revolutionary House, hallowed by her
presence, what pleasure she must feel!
If, however, neither the beauties of Nature nor the interest of the
Bible class appeal to the cadet, he cannot help having his spiritual
self stirred by the impressive service at the Cadet Chapel. All cadets
are required to attend divine service. The large majority go to the
Cadet Chapel because it is for all denominations, the building never
having been consecrated to any particular faith, but about ten per
cent. of the cadets attend service at the Catholic Chapel.
The first note from the organ announces the commencement of the
service. The choir of over a hundred voices, singing the processional
hymn, walk two by two in slow and solemn order up the aisle to
their places in the stalls. A wave of music sweeps through the
church as the procession moves forward. Last of all comes the
Chaplain, immaculate in fresh linen surplice, and conspicuous by his
distinguished bearing.
The Chaplain standing upon the steps of the altar pronounces the
solemn benediction, which is scarcely concluded when the choir
begins to sing the “Amen” to the accompaniment of Holy Grail motif
from Parsifal. Faintly at first the singing arises from the stalls, then
stronger and stronger, then diminishing in volume until it dies away
with a final “Amen.”
The cadet is really never quite free from the spiritual influences of
the Academy. Nature, his Chapel, traditions, precept, and example
so arouse and sharpen his insight into things and into himself that
his day gradually assumes a new background. These are the
influences that, when he is an officer, draw him back to his Alma
Mater and make him speak of it always with undisguised affection.
CHAPTER XIII
THE SPIRIT OF WEST POINT
This is the day of days in the life of each man of the graduation
class. His four years are at last completed and he is about to be
given the great prize for which he has so ardently striven—a
commission in the Army. As he takes his seat in front of the
platform, he is a little nervous in spite of the joy at having achieved
his ambition. He realizes that he is about to sever the ties that have
held him fast for the last four years and to bid farewell to a portion
of his life that is finished. A little tug comes at his heart-strings but it
quickly vanishes as he listens to the eloquent words of the chief
speaker, oftentimes the President, unfolding to his receptive
imagination the duties and honors that await him in his new life as
an officer. And when the President reminds him of West Point, of her
traditions, of the advantages that he has been lovingly given, and of
what is expected of him in the Army, there comes to his eyes a
moisture from pride and gratitude. Into his mind rapidly crowd a
thousand and one recollections of his associations at the Academy.
He knows now that he must leave the Corps behind, that he must
renounce the delightful camaraderie of its members, and give up the
beautiful surroundings wherein he has grown in body, mind, and
soul.
It is true that he can no longer wear the “gray,” or take away with
him his friends, or the buildings, but he does take away with him
something that is finer than all of these. One can see it in his face
and in his bearing. He goes forth, his heart armed with the triple
brass of Duty, Honor, Country, and his soul filled with the Spirit of
West Point. All of his nature has been elevated and benefited by this
indefinable essence. It forever connects him with hundreds of other
men in all parts of our country and identifies him with an institution
whose very name, West Point, no matter where seen or heard,
thrills him with pleasure. This name connotes the details of the most
impressionable period of his life. Even the words themselves seem to
have a distinction and personality that no other words possess. They
are flavored with romance and make one think of something fresh
and crisp and clean, something almost hallowed. They are
themselves clothed with the spirit of the place under whose
influence and power he will forever remain.
In the training of the National Army, he will have all sorts of men
under his command, but the spirit of the Academy will make him
patient and kind with the stupid, lend a hand to the weak, give a
word of cheer to the down-hearted (there will be plenty of them),
and instill into all the ideal of duty. The kind of discipline that he
himself received at West Point will be theirs. He will teach them to
bear uncomplainingly their burdens, to be loyal and obedient, to care
for their health, and to march and to fight with a spirit that knows
not weariness or depression. Then when these men shall be
sufficiently trained, he will go with them to France, in the wake of
the first division of Regulars led by a gallant West Pointer, Major-
General John J. Pershing. Here he will appreciate as never before the
value of a great moral force like the spirit of West Point. It will aid
him in overcoming the obstacles in his path and in those of his men,
especially when the heroics of war and the novelty of being abroad
have ceased to interest them, and they find themselves in the
trenches in No Man’s Land. They will be drenched by the rain and
burnt by the sun; they will have to endure the vermin, the mud, and
the dust. They will be driven nearly mad by the shrieking and
bursting of the shells, they will see their comrades killed and
wounded, and perhaps they too will suffer the same fate, but they
will not flinch; because he who leads them will have given them
something of his spirit—a part of himself that West Point made. He
must be the prop upon which they may lean, if need be, and his
spirit the reservoir upon which they may draw for refreshment. And
should he be called upon to pay the supreme sacrifice, he will leave
them the Spirit of West Point to carry them to victory, while he goes
to join the ghostly assemblage of his fellow West Pointers, standing
bareheaded to salute him, as he has stood many times in the
presence of the living Corps.
APPENDIX
WAR DEPARTMENT
APPOINTMENTS
How Made.—The appointments from a Congressional district are
made upon the recommendation of the Representative in Congress
from that district, and those from a State at large upon the
recommendations of the Senators of the State. Similarly, the
appointments from a Territory are made upon the recommendation
of the Delegate in Congress. The appointments from the District of
Columbia are made upon the recommendation of the Commissioners
of the District. Each person appointed must be an actual resident of
the State, District, or Territory from which the appointment is made.
The appointments from the United States at large are made by the
President of the United States upon his own selection. The cadets
from Porto Rico, who must be natives of that island, are appointed
by the President on the recommendation of the Resident
Commissioner.
The appointments from among the enlisted men of the regular army
will be made upon the recommendation of the Commanding
Generals of the Territorial Departments.
(1) Candidates from the United States at Large, other than honor
graduates of honor schools.
(2) Candidates from the United States at Large, who are honor
graduates of honor schools.
(2) A properly attested certificate (Form II) that the candidate has
graduated from a preparatory school or public high school accredited
by the United States Military Academy, provided that he has in his
school work shown proficiency in subjects amounting to not less
than 14 units of the list given below.
(a) REQUIRED.
Every certificate must show evidence of proficiency in the following
subjects.
Units.
Mathematics, A1 1
Mathematics, A2 ½
Mathematics, C 1
English, A 2
English, B 1
History, A }
History, B }
any two 2
History, C }
History, D }
7½
(b) OPTIONAL.
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