Democratic Partisanship: Party Activism in an Age of Democratic Crises

Democratic Partisanship is a book that explores how democratic norms resonate with party activists and with what implications for representative government. It combines normative theories of democratic partisanship and the empirical study of political parties and contributes a novel theoretical framework for the empirical analysis of democratic partisanship.

Format: Hardback
Length: 268 pages
Publication date: 31 October 2023
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Introduction:
Political parties are caught in the crossfire of contemporary criticism. Some are accused of being excessively technocratic and removed from citizens' concerns, while others are attacked for their populist discourse and for pandering to the base instincts of constituents. But what ideal of partisanship do we have in mind when we blame parties for the ills of democracy? And how do real-world parties actually compare to this normative ideal? Democratic Partisanship bridges political theory and empirical study to answer these questions. It explores and compares how key democratic norms hailed by political theorists, such as good justification and respect for opponents, resonate with right-wing and left-wing party members in Hungary and France. Focusing on the partisan's perspective, the book explores how and why some party organizations reconcile the most contradictory democratic imperatives while others fail to do so.
Chapter 1: Democratic Norms and Partisanship:
In this chapter, the book introduces the concept of democratic norms and their relevance to political parties. It discusses the normative theories of democratic partisanship and the empirical study of political parties. The chapter also contributes a novel theoretical framework for the empirical analysis of democratic partisanship.
Chapter 2: Normative Theories of Democratic Partisanship:
In this chapter, the book explores the normative theories of democratic partisanship. It discusses the importance of good justification and respect for opponents in democratic politics. The chapter also examines how these norms are influenced by political ideology, social norms, and institutional factors.
Chapter 3: Empirical Study of Political Parties:
In this chapter, the book showcases an innovative and replicable methodology for focus group discussion and analysis. It draws on extensive original research conducted in France and Hungary with 117 political party members. The chapter analyzes the perspectives of party activists on democratic norms and their implications for representative government.
Chapter 4: Case Studies:
In this chapter, the book studies x number of political parties, including the conservative Fidesz party and socialist MSzP in Hungary and the Parti Socialiste (PS) and Union pour un Mouvement populaire (UMP) in France. The chapter includes rare testimonies from within Fidesz, Hungary's governing radical right party since 2010. The chapter also includes 30 graphic visualizations of key differences in the outlooks of participants.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, Democratic Partisanship provides a comprehensive and insightful analysis of democratic norms and their implications for political parties. It combines normative theories of democratic partisanship with the empirical study of political parties. The book contributes a novel theoretical framework for the empirical analysis of democratic partisanship and showcases an innovative and replicable methodology for focus group discussion and analysis. The book draws on extensive original research conducted in France and Hungary with 117 political party members and includes rare testimonies from within Fidesz, Hungary's governing radical right party since 2010. The book also includes 30 graphic visualizations of key differences in the outlooks of participants. By exploring and comparing how democratic norms resonate with party activists, Democratic Partisanship provides valuable insights into the dynamics of contemporary political parties and their role in democratic governance.

Weight: 530g
Dimension: 160 x 241 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399511858