The Republican South: Democratization and Partisan Change - Hardcover

Lublin, David

3.5

6 ratings by Goodreads

9780691050416: The Republican South: Democratization and Partisan Change

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0691050414 ISBN 13: 9780691050416

Publisher: Princeton University Press, 2004

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This comprehensive and in-depth look at southern politics in the United States challenges conventional notions about the rise of the Republican Party in the South. David Lublin argues that the evolution of southern politics must be seen as part of a process of democratization of the region's politics. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 provided a sharp jolt forward in this process by greatly expanding the southern electorate.

Nevertheless, Democrats prevented Republicans from capitalizing rapidly on these changes. The overwhelming dominance of the region's politics by Democrats and their frequent adoption of conservative positions made it difficult for the GOP to attract either candidates or voters in many contests. However, electoral rules and issues gradually propelled the Democrats to the Left and more conservative white voters and politicians into the arms of the Republican Party.

Surprisingly, despite the racial turmoil of the civil rights era, economic rather than racial issues first separated Democrats from Republicans. Only later did racial and social issues begin to rival economic questions as a source of partisan division and opportunity for Republican politicians.

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From the Publisher:

One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2004.

From the Inside Flap:

"This is an important, knowledge-enhancing, subject-enriching work on a topic of major significance in understanding American politics: recent decades of Republican growth in the South. It adds to our understanding of realignment and political change more broadly by its detailed consideration of the state of the parties. Issues, elites, and institutions--an appropriately broad but rare range of topics--figure prominently in the discussion. While many contend racial attitudes realigned southern whites from the Democrats to the Republicans, David Lublin emphasizes economic and social issues while recognizing the place of racial issues."--Harold W. Stanley, Geurin-Pettus Distinguished Chair in American Politics and Political Economy, Southern Methodist University, author of Voter Mobilization and the Politics of Race

"This book offers a broad examination of factors relating to the development of the Republican party in the South, includes new and valuable data sets, and reflects what is now expected of David Lublin-his distinctive mixture of good social science, normative consideration, and commonsensical understanding of politics."--John H. Aldrich, author of Why Parties? The Origins and Transformation of Political Parties in America

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