Party Government in 48 Democracies (1945-1998) : Composition - Duration - Personnel

J. J. Woldendorp

ISBN 10: 0792367278 / ISBN 13: 9780792367277

Published by Springer Netherlands, Springer Netherlands, 2000

About this Item

Druck auf Anfrage Neuware - Printed after ordering - Since the 1980s, political scientists have developed a renewed interest in the study of political institutions, based on the assumption that 'institutions matter' -that is, that formal governmental institutions and constitutional-legal rules (as well as informal institutions like parties and interest groups) are crucial determinants of the shape of politics and policy outcomes. In this respect, the 'new institutionalism' resembles the 'old institutionalism' of pre-behaviorist days, but the crucial difference between the two is that the new institutionalists are committed to systematic empirical testing of their hypotheses, at least in principle. In practice, however, especially in compara tive analyses, this goal has often been frustrated by the lack of reliable data for a large number of countries. Researchers have therefore usually been limited to testing their hypotheses with modest data sets collected for their own particular purposes. Of all of the political institutions, the executive branch of the government is by far the most important; it can be regarded as the irreducible core of government and the principal embodiment of political authority with specific powers that are not lodged elsewhere in the political system. Almost all countries in the world, and certainly all modem democracies, have an executive body called 'government', 'cabinet', or 'administration' (as in the term 'the Clinton administration') that has the main responsibility for running the country's public affairs.

Seller Inventory # 9780792367277

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Party Government in 48 Democracies (1945-1998) : Composition - Duration - Personnel
• Publisher: Springer Netherlands, Springer Netherlands
• Publication Date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0792367278
• ISBN 13: 9780792367277
• Binding: Buch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 241W x 160H x 37D millimeters 241 millimeters width by 160 millimeters height by 37 millimeters depth
• Weight: 1051 grams

About this title

Synopsis

Since the 1980s, political scientists have developed a renewed interest in the study of political institutions, based on the assumption that "institutions matter" -that is, that formal governmental institutions and constitutional-legal rules (as well as informal institutions like parties and interest groups) are crucial determinants of the shape of politics and policy outcomes. In this respect, the "new institutionalism" resembles the "old institutionalism" of pre-behaviorist days, but the crucial difference between the two is that the new institutionalists are committed to systematic empirical testing of their hypotheses, at least in principle. In practice, however, especially in compara­ tive analyses, this goal has often been frustrated by the lack of reliable data for a large number of countries. Researchers have therefore usually been limited to testing their hypotheses with modest data sets collected for their own particular purposes. Of all of the political institutions, the executive branch of the government is by far the most important; it can be regarded as the irreducible core of government and the principal embodiment of political authority with specific powers that are not lodged elsewhere in the political system. Almost all countries in the world, and certainly all modem democracies, have an executive body called "government", "cabinet", or "administration" (as in the term "the Clinton administration") that has the main responsibility for running the country's public affairs.

Synopsis

"This Handbook of Democratic Government" is the first compact and comprehensive data collection which simultaneously provides comparative and complete information on the composition of governments between 1945 and 1998 in 48 countries across the democratic world. Parties, ministries, competences, ministers and parliamentary support are listed, as well as duration, type of government and reasons for termination. This information is provided for 48 parliamentary democracies, covering the whole period 1945-1998. Also included is additional comparative information on institutions and governance, based on the countries' constitutions and related basic laws. The data are organised in such a manner that every researcher can use them as a basic data set, ready to be transformed according to the particular needs dictated by the research undertaken. Various levels of analysis are possible, both cross-nationally and across time, ranging from individual ministers and separate ministries to specific parties, governments or countries.

This data collection will save researchers in the field of comparative politics valuable time and resources as it can be utilised in connection with, or in addition to, other data sources.