Post-Communist Democracies and Party Organization
Cambridge University Press
Edition: Illustrated, 6/24/2013
EAN 9781107683358, ISBN10: 1107683351
Paperback, 298 pages, 22.9 x 15.2 x 1.9 cm
Language: English
Scholars of post-communist politics often argue that parties in new democracies lack strong organizations - sizable membership, local presence, and professional management - because they do not need them to win elections and they may hinder a party's flexibility and efficiency in office. Post-Communist Democracies and Party Organization explains why some political parties are better able than others to establish themselves in new democracies and why some excel at staying unified in parliament, whereas others remain dominated by individuals. Focusing on the democratic transitions in post-communist Europe from 1990 to 2010, Margit Tavits demonstrates that the successful establishment of a political party in a new democracy crucially depends on the strength of its organization. Yet not all parties invest in organization development. This book uses data from ten post-communist democracies, including detailed analysis of parties in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, and Poland.
1. Introduction
2. Organizing for success
party organization and party performance
3. Organizations at work
assessing the causal mechanisms
4. Organizing for unity
organizational strength and parties in parliament
5. Power within parties
the consequences of sub-unit organizational strength
6. Environment, ideology, and leaders
why do some parties have strong and others weak organizations?
7. Conclusion
Appendixes
References.