Party Politics in Germany A Comparative Politics Approach [Hardcover]

Party Politics in Germany is the only English-language study of its kind and examines the phenomenon of party politics in the Federal Republic through comparison across time and space. It draws upon new data from the 2002 Federal elections and recent Land elections, as well as on a far more explicitly comparative literature than is generally found in single-country studies. The book not only sheds new light on political phenomena in Germany but also allows students of the comparative method to apply some of the key concepts, models and approaches with which they are familiar to the rich context of a single country study.PART 1: GERMANY IN COMPARATIVE CONTEXT Introduction Why Compare? Rationale of the Study Book Structure PART 2: THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CLEAVAGES IN GERMANY BEFORE 1945 Introduction Cleavage Theory The Lipset-Rokkan Model Germany in Comparative Perspective Summary PART 3: SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CLEAVAGES IN THE SECOND REICH AND WEIMAR REPUBLIC Introduction Development of Political Cleavages in the Second Reich The Weimar Republic Summary PART 4: SOCIAL AND POLITICAL CLEAVAGES IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC, 1945-2002 Introduction The Re-emergence of Political Cleavages, 1945-1949 The Federal Republic: 1949-1969 1969-1990: De-alignment and Electoral Instability Post-Unification Germany, 1990-2002 The 2002 Bundestag Elections Summary PART 5: PARTISAN IDENTIFICATION, VALUE ORIENTATION, AND ECONOMIC VOTING Introduction Partisan Identification Value Orientation Economic Voting Summary PART 6: STATE STRUCTRES, ELECTORAL SYSTEMS, AND PARTY SYSTEMS Introduction State and Administrative Structures Electoral Systems Party Systems Summary PART 7: POLITICAL PARTIES Introduction Problems of Establishing a Single Classificatory Scheme 15 'Species' of Political Parties: German Parties in Comparative Context Genus One: Elite-Based Parties Genus Two: Mass-Based Parties Ethnicity-Based Parties Electoralist Parties Movement Parties Summary PART 8: COMPETITION ANDlsO