Abstract
This article considers the determinants of youth member activism in political parties. Recent cross‐national studies have established that political parties are suffering a decline in youth membership numbers and that a significant number of members are inactive. We base our analysis here on the argument that in order to fulfill adequately their linkage role between civil society and the state, parties require an ongoing source of active young partisans to replenish an aging membership. Using data collected through a mail survey of 18–25 year old members of the Canadian Liberal party, we are able to identify several factors which are significantly related to degrees of activism among young party members. Our analysis considers socio‐demographic characteristics, paths to party membership, attitudes towards political parties and advocacy groups, and political socialization. Our most important finding is a strong positive relationship between membership in a party organ dedicated to young members and a high degree of party activism.
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