Canadian Political Party Systems

Clean, tight, unmarked; wear to inside corners and spine extremes; age tanned; spine straight and uncreased; minimal general wear; This is a book about Canada's national political parties. It examines the how and why of their organization and operation over three distinct periods in the country's political life. The first period, one of two-party national competition and patronage politics, stretched from Confederation until WWI. The second system, a period of Liberal dominance characterized by brokerage politics, last to the late 1950s and the Diefenbacker realignment. By contrast the contemporary system (in which the personality of the leader and a concern with electronic politics have been dominant) has been highly competitive, with more political uncertainty and minority governments than at any other time in our history. Each of the sections includes selections that discuss the political environment; the structure and organization of the parties; leadership; finance; and the crucial relationship between the media and the parties.…