Book Review

If this were the United Kingdom, repudiation by the majority party in the lower house of the national legislature would have removed Bill Clinton from office. In the United States, however, the Constitution provides for a separation of powers that renders the president largely independent of Congress. That lack of accountability tends to make him its adversary rather than its leader and to foster gridlock between the legislative and executive branches. Woodrow Wilson sought to replace the separation of powers with British-style "responsible government." He failed, and this book explains why.

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Its author is a political scientist. To scholars in that field, Wilson is a fascinating figure, for he is one of their own who achieved success in the real world of politics. As governor of New Jersey and later president, Wilson had a chance to implement the ideas he had developed as an academic. "The crux of [his] program was to have a wise and visionary leader, supported by a principled political party, draw together the executive and legislative branches." Initially Wilson advocated creating something similar to British cabinet government by amend-ing the Constitution so that department heads could serve in the House. Once he began seeking to influence reformers, however, he abandoned the idea of amendments, arguing that statesmanship could create responsible government without them.

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