Political Parties : A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy

Abstract

The principle of self-government through political parties, cornerstone of democracy, has come to be regarded as a solution to problem of nationality. This is because principle of nationality entails acceptance of idea of popular government. The importance of principle of nationality is undeniable, and most of national questions of Western Europe might be solved in accordance with this principle. Matters are complicated by geographical and strategical considerations, such as difficulty of determining natural frontiers and frequent need to establish strategic frontiers. Moreover, principle of nationality cannot help us where nationalities barely exist or where they are entangled in inextricable confusion. The present work is a critical discussion of problem of democracy. Michels believes that democracy, as an intellectual theory and as a practical movement, has entered upon a critical phase from which exit will be extremely difficult. In this book he analyzes tendencies that oppose realization of democracy, and claims that these tendencies can be classified in three ways: dependence upon nature of individual; dependence upon nature of political structure; and dependence upon nature of organization. This edition, described by Morris Janowitz as a classic of modern social science and by Melvin Tumin as the beginning of a tradition, offers a landmark study in political science. Following its original publication in 1910, study and analysis of political parties was established as a new branch of science. Political Parties continues to be a foundation work in literature and is a necessary addition to libraries of contemporary political scientists, sociologists and historians.

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