The role of political parties in a democracy is often under scrutiny. Rhetoric crying for more effective, thoughtful, or representative democracy often lacks data to back up its claims. This book provides readers with a wealth of empirical detail: a refreshing and meticulous examination of political parties in ten democracies in Western Europe and East and Southeast Asia. This analysis aims to provide skeptics and supporters of political parties alike with a down-to-earth, empirical examination of the future of political parties and democracy in a century of globalization.

Takashi Inoguchi is the President of the University of Niigata Prefecture, Japan.

Jean Blondel is a Professorial Fellow at the Robert Schuman Center for Advanced Studies at European University Institute in Italy.