Why Parties?
A Second Look
- Contents
- Review Quotes

PART 1 POLITICAL PARTIES AND DEMOCRACY
PART 2 PARTY FORMATION IN AMERICA, 1790–1860
Institutions and Social Choice
The Mass Party and Collective Action
Institutions, Issue Agendas, and Ambition
PART 3 THE NEW POLITICAL PARTY IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICA
PART 4 CONCLUSIONS
Notes
References
Index
“The first edition was already the best account of the development of American political parties, which developed new theory and employed modern statistical methods as well as traditional historical approaches to describe its complex and ever changing subject matter. The new edition describes recent developments in the parties and the party system and brings new evidence and thinking to the enterprise. It is a major contribution to political science that will be valuable to scholars as well as students at all levels.”
“Aldrich provides comprehensive coverage of the accumulated theory on political parties and achieves an impressive synthesis of both the historical and rational choice approaches to answer such questions as why parties develop, how and why parties evolve, and why parties are essential to democracy. . . . Through his careful analysis, the author deftly explains the transformation of parties from ‘ramshackle coalitions’ to ‘quasi-parliamentary’ and from ‘modern mass parties’ to ‘parties in service.’ Why Parties? is now the premiere standard book on political parties. . . . Highly recommended.”
History: American History
Political Science: American Government and Politics
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