The Challenge of the American Presidency

The Challenge of the American Presidency. By Phillip Abbott. Prospect Heights Illinois: Waveland Press, Inc. 2004.

Reviewed by: Robert J. DeCastro, Florida Atlantic University

Phillip Abbot writes that "perhaps no other person both celebrated and explored executive power more thoroughly" than the 16th century Italian writer and diplomat Niccolo Machiavelli. His famous works The Prince and The Discourses have contributed many famous theories to political science. Our Founding Fathers were acutely aware of the observations Machiavelli made on executive power. Machiavelli's famous analogy of a fox and lion, illustrates how leaders must adapt to challenges facing them. A great leader knows when to act like a fox and bargain with his enemies, while simultaneously understanding when the time is right to overpower them. President George W. Bush and his administration would be wise to review Machiavelli's teachings on abuses of executive power.

In this book, the author ties Machiavelli's definition of executive power to the American presidency. Citing specific examples throughout American history, Abbot skillfully illustrates how each president faced the challenges of the day, and how they shaped the course of history according to the available power of the executive branch at each point in time. Beginning with the Revolutionary period, Abbot illustrates how the Founding Fathers struggled with the question of executive power as they were defining the parameters of the federal government, and the subsequent rise in the level of power within the executive branch over the course of history.

The Challenge of the American Presidency begins by citing specific instances in American history where outside influences forced a president to expand the powers of the executive branch. George Washington's refusal to enter war between England and France in 1793, Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon, Jackson's use of veto power, Lincoln's refusal to accept Southern succession, and JFK's standoff with the Soviets, all illustrate the ways in which presidents respond to domestic, foreign, and economic challenges, and most importantly how each specific response helped shape the office of the presidency. Abbot divides the book into six presidential periods, with each period embodying certain rules and behavior within the political system, the economy, and the international system that shift and vary over time. During the "Founding Presidency" (1789-1829), presidents stood above party factions and governed impartially in the public interest. The "Partisan Presidency" (1829-1865) is marked by a rise in partisanship; with presidents building party machines that rewarded friends and punished foes. The "Eclipsed Presidency" (1865-1897) still featured strong partisan ties, but at the time the office had been greatly reduced in its power. The "Modern Presidency" (1897-1945) faced the challenges of industrial growth and the rise of America into a global economic power and an international actor. The "Cold War Presidency" (1945-1993) symbolized the pinnacle of executive power, where the office of the presidency was bureaucratically enlarged and presidents assumed the role of international crisis manager. Finally, the "Post-Modern Presidency" (1993-present) is defined by no longer being able to rely on Cold War accords to create support for international commitments. Within each period, Abbot analyzes each specific administration, identifying the goals and aspirations of each president, and how he succeeded (or failed) in accomplishing those goals.

Theoretically, Abbot comes to various conclusions. He concludes that the six presidential periods show certain basic features of American political development in general and of the presidency in particular. First, aspects of change are cyclical. Historically, executive power seems to rise in some periods and decline in others. Sometimes, the resurgence of executive power is the result of war and economic distress, while at other times it is due to imaginative efforts of presidents themselves. Second, Abbot observes that many changes are layered, that is a once president assumes new responsibility for the executive branch, each subsequent president accepts these new parameters. Third, changes in the presidency are uneven in regards to other American institutions. New cabinet posts and agencies are frequently created after major changes in society occur. Lastly, Abbot concludes that some changes in the executive branch are episodic, where changes in the executive branch are made as a result of the individual inclinations of particular presidents.

This book has many strengths. It reads as a biography of our nation, illustrating the birth of the United States from a colonial rebellion to its ascent as the last remaining superpower on Earth. At each step of the way, Abbot skillfully illustrates the major challenges lacing the United States, and most importantly, how each individual president handled these changes, at home and abroad. Detailed insight and commentary from administrators, political scientists, and historians holds the readers attention throughout the book.

While the level of detail found in this book can be considered one of its strengths, that same level of detail could also be considered a weakness. While the book is a perfect fit for hard-core political junkies, average readers may find the scope and scale of the book to be somewhat daunting.

I recommend this book for scholars interested in a very thorough analysis of the history and evolution of the executive branch in American politics. It is also well suited as a historical reference book. Scholastically, this book is well suited for graduate studies or senior level undergraduate students in political science. Presidential scholars and Historians may also find The Challenge of the American Presidency required reading for their students.

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