Changing forms of partisan attachment in West Germany, 1976-1987.

Abstract

This dissertation contributes to the study of "new politics," literature examining the social and political consequences of transition to a post-industrial economy. This research project is designed to contribute that the "new politics" debate by considering the impact of this change on the linkages between political parties and citizens. It focuses on why voters are attached to parties, and the concepts and ideas that structure voters' evaluations of parties. The "new politics" literature has suggested that parties have become largely irrelevant, declaring post-industrial politics non-partisan. The research looks at West Germany between 1976 and 1987 as a representative case. A series of public opinion surveys taken in the election years 1976, 1980, 1983 and 1987 in West Germany are the basis of this research. Particular attention is paid to a set of open ended questions asking respondents to evaluate the major parties. The changing form those evaluations take over time is then examined and explained in light of literature on party change. Three forms of linkage are considered: social group linkages, ideological linkages, and party linkages. The dissertation concludes that voters evaluate parties using a variety of lens. Those varied means of evaluating parties change in ways that may be unrelated to one another, making it is necessary to look at each form of linkage individually. The dissertation finds that in West Germany social group linkages have become less important, but the reasons for the decline vary by group. The meaning of ideological linkages is shifting from traditional economic ideologies to ideologies reflecting new post-materialist values. Partisan linkages have increased but the increase in partisan linkages is due largely to increased emphasis on coalitions rather than individual parties. These changes in the form of linkage are consistent with changes in West German society in the decade considered.