Green Parties in Transition The End of Grass-roots Democracy [Hardcover]

When green parties emerged in the 1980s, not only did they question established ideas about nature and economic growth, they also challenged the 'iron law' of Roberto Michels that all parties inevitably follow a similar path towards informal concentration of power and oligarchy. Grass-roots democracy was both an ideological tenet and an organizational project for practically all green parties. These days the greens have lost their glamour and innocence. They have grown up and even joined governing coalitions in several countries. Did they leave grass-roots democracy by the roadside on the way to power? This book investigates to what extent green parties have remained true to their identity or have been transformed. Country specialists analyze the development of green parties in 14 countries across the world - not only Western Europe but also Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. These analyses also offer clues on broader questions about party types and party change in contemporary democracies.Contents: Preface, Beno??t Rihoux, Paul Lucardie and E. Gene Frankland; Part 1 Introduction: From amateur-activist to professional-electoral parties? On the organizational transformation of Green parties in Western democracies, Paul Lucardie and Beno??t Rihoux. Part 2 Green Parties with National Governmental Experience: The evolution of the Greens in Germany: from amateurism to professionalism, E. Gene Frankland; The French Greens: changes in activist culture and practices in a constraining environment, Bruno Villalba; The Finnish Greens: from 'alternative' grass-roots movement(s) to a governmental party, Jukka Paastela; Belgium: Ecolo and Agalev (Groen!): 2 institutionalized Green parties with parallel but different stories, Jo Buelens and Pascal Delwit; The Irish Greens, George Taylor and Brendan Flynn. Part 3 Green Parties with a National Parliamentary Relevance: Switzerland: the Green Party, alternative and liberal Greens, Andreas Ladner and Michael Br??nlÓh