Realignment in American politics : toward a theory / edited by Bruce A. Campbell and Richard J. Trilling.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Campbell, Bruce A., 1944- editor.

Trilling, Richard J., editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Elections--United States.

Elections.

Elite (Social sciences)--United States.

Elite (Social sciences).

United States--Politics and government.

United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (352 pages) : illustrations

Place of Publication:

Austin, Texas ; London, [England] : University of Texas Press, 1980.

Summary:

To have a voice in shaping government policy has been a goal of the American people since the nation's founding. Yet, government seems even less accessible now than in the past. An increasing rate of incumbency in Congress, the unwieldy committee system that controls legislation, and the decline of political parties have all weakened representation and alienated Americans from the seat of power. The one remaining way to produce major and coherent change in national policy is through partisan realignment—a sharp, enduring shift in voter support of the two major parties. This book is about the phenomenon of realignment in American politics. It not only brings together and assesses previous work in the area but also breaks new ground in the analysis of the effects of realignment on political elites and public policy. In addition, it is the first study to present an integrated theory of realignment that can be applied to the understanding of mass, elite, and policy change in times of social crisis. Contributors include Lawrence McMichael, David Nexon, Louis Seagull, Robert Lehnen, Philip Converse, Gregory Markus, Lester Seligman, Michael King, David Brady, Kenneth Meier, Kenneth Kramer, David Adamany, Charles Stewart, Susan Hansen, and the editors.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Contents

Preface

PART I Issues in the Study of Realignment

1. Toward a Theory of Realignment: An Introduction

2. The Structure and Meaning of Critical Realignment: The Case of Pennsylvania, 1928-1932

3. Methodological Issues in the Study of Realignment

PART II Mass Behavioral Change

4. Secular Realignment: The Concept and Its Utility

5. Realignment, Party Decomposition, and Issue Voting

6. Realignment and Short-Term Crisis: A Case Study of Public Opinion during the Watergate Era

7. Recent Evidence on the Stability of Party Identification: The New Michigan Election Study Panel

PART III Elite Behavioral Change

8. Political Realignments and Recruitment to the U.S. Congress, 1870-1970

9. Elections, Congress, and Public Policy Changes: 1886-1960

10. The Impact of Realigning Elections on Public Bureaucracies

11. The Supreme Court's Role in Critical Elections

PART IV The Impact of Realignment on Policy

12. The Federal Income Tax and the Realignment of the 1890s

13. Partisan Realignment and Tax Policy: 1789-1976

Notes on Contributors

Bibliography

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

0-292-77149-5

OCLC:

1286806237