The Strategy of Rhetoric: Campaigning for the American ConstitutionThis book, the last work of an eminent political scientist, is an innovative study of persuasion in a landmark political event: the 1787-88 campaign to ratify the United States Constitution. William Riker uses both historical and rational choice analysis to examine the rhetoric and strategic manipulations used in this campaign, and he points out patterns and principles that should be applicable to political campaigns in general. Riker examines the campaign's rhetoric and derives strategic principles that seem to guide campaigners. These principles explain, among other things, the frequent reliance on negative themes in campaigns. He also investigates what he calls "heresthetic"--how campaigners structured situations so that their preferred outcome was more likely to occur. He discusses several heresthetical maneuvers that made the Federalists' narrow victory possible, such as their proposal of a constitution that was broader than most citizens would have preferred, and their design of the ratification process as a take-it-or-leave-it proposition, so that they could prevent any ratifying state from altering it. Riker concludes by examining the relationship between rhetoric and heresthetic. He shows that both were necessary for the Federalist victory: rhetoric, to build support for Federalist positions, and heresthetic, to structure the choice process so that this level of support would be sufficient. His analysis yields a new understanding of the ratification campaign, and the tools and approaches he develops lead toward the further development of the science of political campaigns, of political rhetoric generally, and of the art and science of heresthetic. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 17
Page 47
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Page 49
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Page 52
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Page 152
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Page 153
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Contents
The Proposed Constitution of 1787 | 15 |
1 | 19 |
Data and Methods for the Study of Campaigns | 23 |
Campaign Themes | 32 |
The Utility of Negative Themes | 49 |
Rhetorical Interaction in the Campaigns | 75 |
Toward a Theory of Rhetoric in Campaigns | 99 |
1 | 103 |
The Federalist Coalition Expands 1 83 | 183 |
The Federalists Regain Momentum | 209 |
Virginia and the Failure of Antifederalism | 220 |
Federalists Outflank Antifederalists | 229 |
Forging the Final Constitution | 241 |
Rhetoric and Heresthetic | 253 |
Rhetorical Themes 178788 | 265 |
275 | |
The Agenda for Ratification | 129 |
Nationalist Domination of the Selection of Delegates to | 147 |
Common terms and phrases
Adams adjournment adopted agenda alternatives Anti Antifederal Antifederalists Articles Articles of Confederation attack believe bill of rights Centinel choice citizens closed rule committee Congress Connecticut consolidation course crisis debate decision delay delegates Dispersion Principle Dominance Principle editors elections expected utility favored Federal Farmer Federalist campaign framers Gerry Gouverneur Morris group 1 Federalists Hamilton Hampshire Hancock Ibid initially interpretation issue January June Landholder leaders legislature letter Madison majority Maryland Mason Massachusetts maximum regret Melancton Smith ments motion nationalists negative opponents outcome Papers Pennsylvania percent period persuaded Philadelphia convention political position powers probably provincial Randolph ratification ratification campaign ratifying conventions recommendatory amendments recommended amendments reform rejected rhetoric and heresthetic rhetorical Rhode Island risk Samuel Adams side South Carolina standing army status quo strategy themes threat to liberty tion University Press Virginia Plan volume vote voters Washington weighted words Wilson wrote York