The Samurai, the Mountie and the Cowboy: Should America Adopt the Gun Controls of Other Democracies?

by David Kopel

Book Overview

Gun control remains one of the hottest topics on America's agenda. Increased violence, gang wars in metropolitan areas, and the prevalence of guns in the United States frequently bring this debate to... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0879757566
• ISBN13: 9780879757564
• Release Date: August 1992
• Publisher: Prometheus Books
• Length: 470 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

An excellent resource

This is an absolutely excellent resource for anyone interested in the gun-control debate. Mr. Kopel's thesis is that effective gun-control and culture are very tightly linked. Mr. Kopel describes the gun control policies of several countries, puts each in a historical perspective, and discusses why and how well those controls work in their respective countries. He goes on to describe what form of gun-control would be best suited for the United States. Mr. Kopel's book is superbly researched, very readable, and includes copious references. This is by far the most informative book I've found on the gun-control debate. I recommend it highly.

Probably the best place to begin studying gun control.

Of all the political battlefields concerning gun control in America, few have seen more action than the role of guns and gun control in other societies. Kopel's book is therefore one of the most useful texts available on this issue. Kopel gives a far more rigorous analysis than the lobbyists on either side of the debate. This book has been cited in numerous books and law reviews ever since its publication. The scholarly credentials of this work are excellent: each important point is researched and well referenced. As an Englishman, I found his chapter on Great Britain to be accurate and well informed. Definitely a five star book.

Very informative, non biased look at gun facts and myths.

I found the info on the various country's approach to gun control very informative, and the novel approach to the underlying causes to be a refreshing change to the regular guns bad/guns good argument. It is a bit out of date for the absolute latest in guncontrol laws, as far as British, Canadian, and Austrailian situations go; however, he has predicted the paths that they might follow quite accurately. Would love to see a follow up book on some other countries such as Israel, USSR/Russia(and other east bloc countries).

Revealing Look At Different Societies And Their View Of Guns

Reading this book gave me a reasonably educated understanding of the sociological, historical causes for the differing views among nations on guns, gun control, self-defense and the government's role in the lives of its people. The last three chapters on the U.S. explain a lot about our sense of individualism and the roots of our proud gun tradition. This is a level presentation of an emotional issue. It is that lucid proof that all Second Amendment supporters wish they had been able to make and always knew existed, and it is a reasoned argument capable of changing the position of gun control advocates, if read with an open mind.

A great book on the gun debate.

The insight of gun control in the context of different cultures that Mr. Kopel exposes is very interesting. His argument that blind importation of gun controls is naive and dangerous is well defended, with footnotes supporting his declarations throughout the book. Kopel zig-zags through arguments as if he was representing both sides of the gun control debate, often trashing American anti-gun advocates; given his rational and objective approach, he had no choice. He concludes with suggestions of gun control policies that take the American culture into account. The book is bound to be loved by gun owners and hated by Ms. Brady and Co., an expected outcome for a work that puts emotions and politics aside and helps destroy the myth that criminality will be reduced by disarming the law abiding.