In this precisely argued book, Colin Crouch questions the current meaning of political parties for citizens in Western Europe given that the identities on which they are based were the product of past conflicts over industrialization and religion. Crouch asks whether the issues confronting post and ex-industrial societies can develop their own political identities among citizens? And, if so, how far do these identities relate to the inheritance of the past?
Applying a theory of political identity, Crouch analyses voting behaviour across Europe and presents an in-depth historical analysis of the key political parties. He traces the content of party manifestos and the geographical and industrial status of parties' support. He argues that, far from following a model provided by the West, the faltering party systems in Central and Eastern Europe offer insights as to how western systems may develop in the future. Looking ahead, Crouch considers the viability of democratic politics, assessing the roles of gender, environmentalism and xenophobia in generating effective modern political identities.
