How much does Germany's past weigh upon party politics in the Federal Republic today? Should phenomena such as disillusionment with the democratic process and the rise of right-wing parties be considered more worrying in Germany than in other advanced industrial democracies? And, ultimately, what are political parties for? Charles Lees addresses these and other questions and assesses the balance between the dominant paradigm of Germany's 'special path' (Sonderweg) of political and economic development and the commonalities shared between Germany and other advanced democracies. 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 on a more explicitly comparative literature than is generally found in single-country studies in order not only to shed new light on Germany but also to allow 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. In doing this Lees problematises the trade-off in such studies between depth and breadth, micro-and macro-level explanation, rich description and abstraction, inductive and deductive reasoning, and so on.
'Party Politics in Germany is a significant addition to the existing literature and could become a standard text for a range of scholars, German specialists and comparativists alike. Charles Lees gives us important new perspectives on Germany's historical development and contemporary changes. His treatment throughout is firmly grounded in comparative theory - unusual for a book with a single-country focus - and provides us with new insights into the German case. It is a path-breaking venture that will be widely welcomed.' - Gordon Smith, Emeritus Professor, Department of Government, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
'Charles Lees' book on German political parties makes an important contribution to this new mainstream of political science scholarship. Well structured and clearly written, Party Politics in Germany will be enjoyed by its readers and will encourage academics to make certain that they include case studies of Germany in their courses. Highly recommended.' - Professor Alan Ware, Fellow and Tutor in Politics, Worcester College, UK
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 AND CO-OPERATION
Introduction
Political Competition
Political Co-operation
Summary
PART 9: CONCLUSION
Introduction
Combining the German Politics and Comparative Politics Literature
Applying Key Comparative Politics Concepts, Models, and Approaches
Problematising the Trade-Off Between Depth and Breadth, Micro-and Macro-Level Explanation
The Balance Between the Singularities of the German Sonderweg and the Commonality of Characteristics Shared by Germany and other Nations
Finding a Consistent Theoretical Framework: Assessing the 'Political Marketplace' Metaphor
Final remarks
Bibliography
Appendix: Tables and Figures
CHARLES LEES is Lecturer in Politics at the University of Sheffield and Academic Fellow at the Sussex European Institute. He is Editor of the PSA journal Politics, Managing Editor of Journal of Common Market Studies, and a member of the Editorial Board of Learning and Teaching in the Social Sciences. He is also Secretary of the Association for the Study of German Politics (ASGP) and a member of the Executive Committee of the Political Studies Association. His recent publications include The Red-Green Coalition in Germany: Politics, Personalities and Power (2000).
Description
How much does Germany's past weigh upon party politics in the Federal Republic today? Should phenomena such as disillusionment with the democratic process and the rise of right-wing parties be considered more worrying in Germany than in other advanced industrial democracies? And, ultimately, what are political parties for? Charles Lees addresses these and other questions and assesses the balance between the dominant paradigm of Germany's 'special path' (Sonderweg) of political and economic development and the commonalities shared between Germany and other advanced democracies. 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 on a more explicitly comparative literature than is generally found in single-country studies in order not only to shed new light on Germany but also to allow 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. In doing this Lees problematises the trade-off in such studies between depth and breadth, micro-and macro-level explanation, rich description and abstraction, inductive and deductive reasoning, and so on.
Reviews
'Party Politics in Germany is a significant addition to the existing literature and could become a standard text for a range of scholars, German specialists and comparativists alike. Charles Lees gives us important new perspectives on Germany's historical development and contemporary changes. His treatment throughout is firmly grounded in comparative theory - unusual for a book with a single-country focus - and provides us with new insights into the German case. It is a path-breaking venture that will be widely welcomed.' - Gordon Smith, Emeritus Professor, Department of Government, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
'Charles Lees' book on German political parties makes an important contribution to this new mainstream of political science scholarship. Well structured and clearly written, Party Politics in Germany will be enjoyed by its readers and will encourage academics to make certain that they include case studies of Germany in their courses. Highly recommended.' - Professor Alan Ware, Fellow and Tutor in Politics, Worcester College, UK
Contents
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 AND CO-OPERATION
Introduction
Political Competition
Political Co-operation
Summary
PART 9: CONCLUSION
Introduction
Combining the German Politics and Comparative Politics Literature
Applying Key Comparative Politics Concepts, Models, and Approaches
Problematising the Trade-Off Between Depth and Breadth, Micro-and Macro-Level Explanation
The Balance Between the Singularities of the German Sonderweg and the Commonality of Characteristics Shared by Germany and other Nations
Finding a Consistent Theoretical Framework: Assessing the 'Political Marketplace' Metaphor
Final remarks
Bibliography
Appendix: Tables and Figures
Authors
CHARLES LEES is Lecturer in Politics at the University of Sheffield and Academic Fellow at the Sussex European Institute. He is Editor of the PSA journal Politics, Managing Editor of Journal of Common Market Studies, and a member of the Editorial Board of Learning and Teaching in the Social Sciences. He is also Secretary of the Association for the Study of German Politics (ASGP) and a member of the Executive Committee of the Political Studies Association. His recent publications include The Red-Green Coalition in Germany: Politics, Personalities and Power (2000).
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