Book Reviews : The Truman-MacArthur Controversy and the Korean War. By JOHN W. SPANIER. (Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1959. Pp. xii, 311. $6.50.)

• Author: Kenneth W. Treacy
• Date: 01 September 1960
• DOI: 10.1177/106591296001300347
• Published date: 01 September 1960
• Subject Matter: Articles

836

ties,

but

wide

recognition

that

a

larger

sense

of

social

responsibility

is

vital

to

national

economic

growth

and

political

stability;

personal

favoritism

in

awarding

office,

but

serious

concern

for

rationalizing

bureaucracy;

power

practically

un-

limited

in

a

single

office,

the

Presidency,

but

a

deeply

rooted

practice

of

con-

fining

men

who

hold

that

office

to

one

six-year

term;

a

highly

structured,

bu-

reaucratized

political

party,

but

a

rank-and-file

which

identifies

largely

on

the

basis

of

personalism

with

men

who

emerge

as

leaders

within

the

structure

rather

than

with

the

organization

and

its

ideological

principles.

The

author,

however,

has

not

proved

unequal

to

the

task

of

explaining

the

processes

involved

in

the

continuing

transition

away

from

the

earlier

more

&dquo;non-Western&dquo;

characteristics

of

Mexican

politics.

In

spelling

out

the multifold

aspects

of

transition

and

the

developing

Mexican

version

of

&dquo;Western&dquo;

politics

all

facets

of

the

total

system

are

examined.

Findings

from

history

and

all

the

social

sciences

are

brilliantly

fused

to

point

up

the

politically

significant

aspects

of

the

physical

and

social

setting

and

the

characteristics

of

the

social

and

political

groups

which

interact

in

this

environment.

The

Mexican

political

culture

involving

conceptions

of

the

purpose

of

gov-

ernment

and

proper

use

of

authority

is

analyzed

in

terms

of

the

struggle

dur-

ing

the

1920’s

and

1930’s

to

bring

some

coherence

to

the

ideological

pronounce-

ments

of

the

Revolution

and

to

formulate

working

political

structures

so

essential

to

the

stability

and

sense

of

direction

needed

for

national

growth.

Intra-Revolu-

tionary

party

relationships

are

explored

in

detail;

but

the

existence,

essential

characteristics,

and

respective

roles

of

the

principal

opposition

parties

are

not

overlooked.

Such

functionally

based,

well-organized

political

groups

as

middle-

class

farmers,

professionals

and

government

workers

as

well

as

labor

and

peas-

ants

are

studied

in

relation

to

their

strength

and

their

share

in

the

division

of

spoils

within

the

existing

system.

The

volume

comes

to

a

focus

in

the

discus-

sion

of

the

central

event

of

Mexican

politics,

the

nomination

of

the

&dquo;official&dquo;

party’s

candidate

for

President

of

the

Republic.

The

reader

may

find

the

sections

on

change

in

the

Presidency

and

the

out-

look

for

democracy

somewhat

overly

optimistic

given

present

conditions.

There

may

also

be

some

who

find

too

little

importance

attached

to

such

concepts

as

legislative

supremacy

and

effective,

loyal

opposition.

Whatever

its

weaknesses,

the

reviewer

feels

that

this

is

the

most

sophisticated

and

perceptive

analysis

of

Mexican

politics

to

be

found

in

the

literature

at

the

present

time.

San

Diego

State

College

L.

V.

PADGETT

The

Truman-MacArthur

Controversy

and

the

Korean

War.

By

JOHN

W.

SPANIER.

(Cambridge:

The

Belknap

Press

of

Harvard

University

Press,

1959.

Pp.

xii,

311.

$6.50.)

The

author,

although

he

makes

the

point

that

obedience

is

a

cardinal

virtue

of

a

military

man,

is

fearful

lest

future

commanders,

in

limited

wars,

force

the

country

into

intolerable

positions

in

foreign

affairs

through

open

opposition

to

the