Valence Politics

Abstract

Abstract Communication between leaders and led is a central, problematic element of political democracy. The importance of this element at the dawn of the democratic idea is shown by the inclusion of rhetoric among the liberal arts preparing the citizen for the civic role. But democracy took root in little places, like Athens or Thebes, where direct discussion was possible. Its extension through representative institutions to the colossal states of the modern world makes still more problematic the communication of alternative leaders with those they would represent. The rise of political parties has always been seen as partly a means of easing this problem, and the study of parties and electoral systems has been partly a study of communication between the leaders who compete for public support and the public that, by giving support, clothes these leaders in legitimate authority.

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