"Seymour Martin Lipset's work throughout his career has been stamped by several features : a powerful linkage of research data and social theory innovative views of historical events, and a realization that politics is an activity native to all human beings, voters and non-voters, democratic and non-democratic systems, and advanced and developing economies." "In this special collection of professional comment and personal tribute, some of Lipset's closest colleagues have gathered to review his life work in political sociology. This volume incudes essays on sociology and socialism, the collapse of class politics, political leadership, the perpetuation of inequality across generations, political extremism, religion as a source of polarization, working class authoritarianism, and an examination of civil life in the United States across the century." "This is a specialist volume for social scientists that can be enjoyed by readers outside the field." "This volume was initially presented as a double issues of The American Sociologist."--BOOK JACKET.