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Have parties, and party systems, come back to life in the twenty-first century? Are they capable of playing their roles in ways that will foster rather than betray the public interest? These are among the questions explored in When Parties Prosper, a richly comparative, up-to-date, and accessible study of political parties in power in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Each country study in the book reviews the country’s political history, describes its present party system, provides a detailed study of the one or two most powerful parties in the system, and evaluates the impact the parties have on government efficacy, stability, and democratic legitimacy. Two broadly comparative chapters highlight differences and similarities across the countries. Following a common structure, the authors offer answers to their core questions—but they are answers that are sure to stimulate discussion, disagreement, and reassessment.
Contents: Political Parties in the Twenty-First Century • Part 1 Parties on the Left • Britain’s New Labour Party: Prospering in an Antiparty Climate • Sweden: Still a Stable Party System? • European Social Democracy: Failing Successfully • Poland’s Democratic Left Alliance: Beyond Postcommunist Succession • The Lithuanian Social Democrats: A Prosperous Postcommunist Party • The Uruguayan Party System: Transition Within Transition • Part 2 Parties on the Right • Germany’s Christian Democrats: Survivors in a Secular Society • Japan: Why Parties Fail, Yet Survive • Russia’s Political Parties: Deep in the Shadow of the President • Mexico: Helping the Opposition Prosper • Israel’s Shas: Party Prosperity and Dubious Democracy • Chile’: From Individual Politics to Party Militancy • Part 3 Comparing Opposing Parties • Italy: A Tale of Two Parties • France: Antisystem vs. Government Parties • The US Two-Party System: Using Power to Prosper • Part 4 Conclusions • Becoming the Party of Government • When Parties Dedemocratize • List of Acronyms • References • The Contributers • Index.
ISBN - 8130909669
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Pages : 440
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