Back to the Future: How Understanding David Easton Can Give Guidance to the Caucus for a New Political Science Available to Purchase

Clyde Barrow concludes his informative 2008 account of the intellectual origins of New Political Science with the question “Which way do we go now?” On this 50th Anniversary of the Caucus for a New Political Science, this article will directly engage that question. First, it will be shown that Barrow’s discussion of the intellectual positions informing the founding moment of the CNPS has some serious misconceptions which may obscure the formation of a clear vision of the Caucus’s options for future endeavors. Among the points to be discussed are: certain misunderstandings of David Easton’s systematic political theory; a lack of clarity about what the fact-value distinction means for the conduct of political science as a “profession;”and, Easton’s vision of political science as constituted by three distinct levels.This discussion will further clarify the current context in which Caucus members may make their plans for future action organizationally, intellectually, and politically.