Political parties and democracy: The ambiguous crisis

Abstract

This study reviews the case for the often-claimed crisis of party in established democracies, and argues that such a contention rests at least in part on ambiguous evidence. Consequently, there is an urgent need for research that provides a better understanding of citizen attitudes towards democratic institutions and processes. An interesting example of such research can be found in work recently conducted on citizens in the United States, which suggests a combination of political disengagement and cynicism towards parties and political elites. If this disturbing pattern were to be found across other democracies, its causes would clearly demand investigation: it is suggested here that the nature of the contemporary mass media is a factor with obvious potential for explaining such developments.