Buch, Englisch, 278 Seiten, Print PDF, Format (B × H): 145 mm x 222 mm, Gewicht: 529 g
The Volatile Electorate
Buch, Englisch, 278 Seiten, Print PDF, Format (B × H): 145 mm x 222 mm, Gewicht: 529 g
ISBN: 978-0-19-827330-1
Verlag: OUP Oxford
By-elections raise fundamental questions, such as: why do third parties manage unexpected breakthroughs in such contests? Why does the government of the day consistently lose support through the `mid-term blues'? Are by-elections essentially idiosyncratic contests reflecting the strengths and weaknesses of individual candidates in particular constituencies? Or can a series of by-election results provide an accurate indication of party popularity in subsequent general elections?
Pippa Norris addresses these questions through her analysis of post-war trends in party support. She covers changes in campaigns, contrasting the stable by-elections of the post-war decade with the more volatile ones characteristic of today. She then explores systematic trends in the light of theories of partisan dealignment and retrospective voting, analysing the influence of campaign-specific factors, notably the role of candidates, party organizations, the media, and opinion polls. To set Britain in a comparative context, she also surveys trends in by-elections in Canada and Australia. Finally there is an essential reference section listing changes in party support in almost four hundred British by-elections since 1945.
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Weitere Infos & Material
List of tables and diagrams; Preface; Introduction; I: Develop ments in By-elections 1945-87; Causes and functions of By-elections; By-elections 1945-66; By-elections 1966-79; By-elections 1979-1983; By-elections 1983-87; The routine fare: Knowsley North; The political earthquakes: Greenwich; II: Trends in By-election results: By-election volatility and partisan de-alignment; Retrospective theory and government performance; The impact of candidates and party organization; The role of the media and opinion polls; Abstainers, tacticals, floating voters; The comparative context: Australia and Canada; Conclusions: The volatile electorate; References and bibliography; Appendix A: Post-war By-election results; Index
