Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy [Paperback]

Robert Michels (Author), Seymour Martin Lipset (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 22, 1999

The principle of self-government through political parties, the cornerstone of democracy, has come to be regarded as a solution to the problem of nationality. This is because the principle of nationality entails the acceptance of the idea of popular government. The importance of the principle of nationality is undeniable, and most of the national questions of Western Europe might be solved in accordance with this principle. Matters are complicated by geographical and strategical considerations, such as the difficulty of determining natural frontiers and the frequent need to establish strategic frontiers. Moreover, the principle of nationality cannot help us where nationalities barely exist or where they are entangled in inextricable confusion.

The present work is a critical discussion of the problem of democracy. Michels believes that democracy, as an intellectual theory and as a practical movement, has entered upon a critical phase from which exit will be extremely difficult. In this book he analyes the tendencies that oppose the realiation of democracy, and claims that these tendencies can be classified in three ways: dependence upon the nature of the individual; dependence upon the nature of the political structure; and dependence upon the nature of organiation.

This edition, described by Morris Janowit as a "classic of modern social science" and by Melvin Tumin as "the beginning of a tradition," offers a landmark study in political science. Following its original publication in 1910, the study and analysis of political parties was established as a new branch of science. Political Parties continues to be a foundation work in the literature and is a necessary addition to the libraries of contemporary political scientists, sociologists, and historians.

Robert Michels is considered a founder of political sociology. He was the author of a variety of books including German Social Democracy as an International Association and Proletariat and Bourgeoisie. He wrote regularly for The Archives of Social Science in Germany. Seymour Martin Lipset is Hael Professor of Sociology and Social Policy at George Mason University and also senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He is the author of various works, including Political Man, The First New Nation, and most recently, American Exceptionalism.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German

About the Author

Seymour Martin Lipset (1922-2006) was professor emeritus of sociology at George Mason University. Among his books are American Exceptionalism: A Double-Edged Sword; North American Cultures: Values and Institutions in Canada and the United States; Political Man: The Social Bases of Politics; and Rebellion in the University. He had a long-standing interest in Israel and Jewish affairs, and was past president of the Association of American Scholars for Peace in the Middle East.

Product Details

• Paperback: 379 pages
• Publisher: Transaction Publishers (December 22, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765804697
• ISBN-13: 978-0765804693
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,761,063 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading, May 12, 2001

By 

"zacharym87" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Political Parties (Paperback)

In the many arguments I've had over the merits of collective action, I have found few arguments as useful as Michels' "iron Law of Oligarchy", stating that even the most egalitarian orginizations wind up having their decisions made by a select few at the top. Morever, institutional reforms will not help, since this tendency is inherent to complex orginization. Surveying the intensification of power across a host of socialist parties and publications, Michels provides much empirical evidence. Too much, at times, as after about 200 pages of stories about leadership groups developing in socialist orginizations, the book starts to drag a little bit. It is all worth it, however, as the "iron law of oligarchy" is one of the most fascinating arguments you'll ever find in a book about politics. Seymour Martin Lipset's introductory comments provide interesting background info.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Monumental work of political science, May 7, 2000

By 

Kenneth E. Wagner Jr. (Highland Springs, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy (Paperback)

Michels was a member of a socialist movement who wondered if one could ever have what today is called participatory democracy. The result is this wonderful book, in which Michels discovers the "Iron Law of Oligarchy", that even in the most egalatarian movements, elites will call most of the shots. Michels goes further than many elite theorists who simply claim that this has always been so: he claims that elite management is inherent to complex organizations. Whether you agree or disagree, you must read this man and debate his ideas!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars DO NOT BUY THIS VERSION, July 12, 2010

By 

SocGrad - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Political Parties; A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy (Paperback)

This is not a review of the text itself, but rather just of the production value of this edition. The production is AWFUL. It was clearly just scanned by someone and imported into Word and printed out. Chapter breaks aren't where they should be. Footnotes are just thrown into the text. One chapter just starts italicizing for no reason halfway through. The index is useless. The book is basically unreadable. I've never been so disappointed at spending $20 on a book. Buy a different version by a different publisher and save yourself the money.