Political parties and elections are the mainsprings of modern democracy. In this classic volume, Richard S. Katz explores the problem of how a given electoral system affects the role of political parties and the way in which party members are elected. He develops and tests a theory of the differences in the cohesion, ideological behavior, and issue orientation of Western parliamentary parties on the basis of the electoral systems under which they compete. A standard in the field of political theory and thought, The Theory of Parties and the Electoral System contributes to a better understanding of parliamentary party structures and demonstrates the wide utility of the rationalistic approach for explaining behavior derived from the self-interest of political actors.

About the Author
Richard S. Katz is a professor of political science at the Johns Hopkins University. He is the author, coauthor, or coeditor of several books, including Political Institutions in the United States; Party Governments: European and American Experiences; The Patron State: Government and the Arts in Europe, North America, and Japan; and Handbook of Party Politics. He is also coeditor of the European Journal of Political Research.

Reviews
Analytical, careful, and scholarly... it makes an important contribution to theory-building about political parties. Journal of Politics This short, well-written comparative treatise deals with the causal relations between electoral structures on one hand and party and campaign behavior on the other. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science


Awards
Winner of American Political Science Association: George H. Hallett Award 1998 (United States).



Book Information
ISBN 9780801887598
Author Richard S. Katz
Format Paperback
Page Count 168
Imprint Johns Hopkins University Press
Publisher Johns Hopkins University Press
Weight(grams) 272g