De ontwikkeling van partij-organisaties in België en Nederland, 1960-1990

Samenvatting

A historical sketch of political parties in Belgium & the Netherlands shows that they are rather young phenomena with a short life during which they have undergone considerable change. After 1960, a thawing of the party system occurred in that the older, traditional parties declined while new parties kept appearing. The theory that the traditional parties would adapt by becoming catch-all parties is discussed. The rise of the new parties may be due to the challenges they pose when the traditional parties are engaged in a process of adaptation. This trend is more pronounced in Belgium than in the Netherlands. Key aspects of the parties include centralization, professionalization, membership, finance, & ideology. 4 Tables, 17 References.