The Life of the Parties: History of American Political Parties - Hardcover

Reichley, A. James

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0029260256 ISBN 13: 9780029260258

Publisher: The Free Press, 1992

Synopsis

Contrary to the widely held popular belief that today's major American political parties are ineffectual and virtually indistinguishable shells of their formerly glorious selves, A. James Reichley argues the case that Democrats and Republicans remain the best and most effective conduits for the contending ideological and social forces that define American political life. Reichley examines parties not only on the national but also state and local levels. While he documents the breakdown of the great political machines, the extreme damage done to the Democratic Party by the "amateur Democrats" in the 1970s and the media's role in hijacking the parties' historical function of screening and selecting candidates, he shows that hopeful signs for party revival exist. Pointing to the success of the Democrats under John Kennedy and the Republicans under Ronald Reagan, as well as a host of earlier figures from Abraham Lincoln to Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Reichley show that strong leaders who convey a clear sense of purpose can marshall party loyalty to overcome the countervailing forces undercutting the nation's political life.

About this title

Review:

Good for Jim Reichley, a calm and intelligent voice in our era of political darkness. He gives a delightful short course on where political parties come from and why they are necessary. He does not dodge the difficulties of today's system but, thank God, he is not overwhelmed by despair. This is a book of hope for strong, meaningful politics, the life blood of democracy.--Hugh Sidey, TIME MAGAZINE

The culmination of a lifetime of reflection on American politics, The Life of the Parties carries authority not least because Reichley himself was a practitioner of the art of government. Combining a truly rare knowledge of political history, a keen eye for telling detail, and a wealth of fresh and original research, he provides us not only with a sober, judiciously argued warning about the health of American politics, but with a positive account intended to set an agenda for feasible reform.--Richard M. Valelly, Swarthmore College, author of Radicalism in the States: The Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party and the American Political Economy

Reichley's rich history of the party system is especially appropriate for these unhappy times, when so many are questioning the parties' worth. One cannot read Reichley's work without condcluding that the political parties--imperfect instruments though they be--have generally been and still are worthwhile and essential institutions in American life. All readers will find this exceptionally thoughtful and detailed volume as enlightening as it is intriguing.--Larry J. Sabato, director, University of Virginia Center for Politics and author of The Kenneday Half-Century

Praise for the original edition of The Life of the Parties It is hard to imagine a better time than now for reexamining American political parties. In The Life of the Parties, A. James Reichley shows us how parties have developed and how they have managed 'incompatible ideological traditions.' The forthcoming debates on the future of American political parties will be informed by Reichley's careful and well-written study.--Charles O. Jones, Hawkins Professor of Political Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison

About the Author:

A. James Reichley is Senior Fellow at the Public Policy Institute at Georgetown University

About this edition

• Publisher: The Free Press
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0029260256
• ISBN 13: 9780029260258
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 500