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2 The Classical Perspective

Abstract

The chapter unfolds what I call the ‘classical perspective’. Drawing on the work of Moisei Ostrogorski and Robert Michels, I describe the classical perspective as a way of approaching the study of parties with a range of qualitative methods, including participant observation and personal communication, and focusing on the ability of political parties to deliver representative democracy. Classical studies conduct detailed empirical explorations of the inner life of party organizations to understand how power dynamics unfold. While Ostrogorski arguably pioneered the study of party organization with his meticulous descriptions of English and US parties in the late 1800s, Michels’ work has certainly had the most lasting effects on political science and social science. His ‘iron law of oligarchy’ has been used to describe the drift from horizontal to vertical modes in a wide range of organizations. Besides unfolding the work of both authors, I discuss what organization scholars might learn from engaging with them, highlighting the merits of the type of functional analysis that Ostrogorski employs and the strictly moral character of Michels’ writings as being particularly interesting.

Abstract

The chapter unfolds what I call the ‘classical perspective’. Drawing on the work of Moisei Ostrogorski and Robert Michels, I describe the classical perspective as a way of approaching the study of parties with a range of qualitative methods, including participant observation and personal communication, and focusing on the ability of political parties to deliver representative democracy. Classical studies conduct detailed empirical explorations of the inner life of party organizations to understand how power dynamics unfold. While Ostrogorski arguably pioneered the study of party organization with his meticulous descriptions of English and US parties in the late 1800s, Michels’ work has certainly had the most lasting effects on political science and social science. His ‘iron law of oligarchy’ has been used to describe the drift from horizontal to vertical modes in a wide range of organizations. Besides unfolding the work of both authors, I discuss what organization scholars might learn from engaging with them, highlighting the merits of the type of functional analysis that Ostrogorski employs and the strictly moral character of Michels’ writings as being particularly interesting.

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents vii
  3. Series Editors’ Preface viii
  4. List of Figures and Tables xi
  5. Acknowledgements xii
  6. Introduction 1
  7. The Classical Perspective 22
  8. Alternativet in Classical Perspective 46
  9. The Configurational Perspective 66
  10. Alternativet in Configurational Perspective 95
  11. The Comparative Perspective 116
  12. Alternativet in Comparative Perspective 146
  13. The Cultural Perspective 177
  14. Alternativet in Cultural Perspective 200
  15. Towards an Eclectic Framework 226
  16. Notes 234
  17. References 235
  18. Index 260
Studying Political Parties as Organizations
Ein Kapitel aus dem Buch Studying Political Parties as Organizations
https://doi.org/10.56687/9781529211382-005

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents vii
  3. Series Editors’ Preface viii
  4. List of Figures and Tables xi
  5. Acknowledgements xii
  6. Introduction 1
  7. The Classical Perspective 22
  8. Alternativet in Classical Perspective 46
  9. The Configurational Perspective 66
  10. Alternativet in Configurational Perspective 95
  11. The Comparative Perspective 116
  12. Alternativet in Comparative Perspective 146
  13. The Cultural Perspective 177
  14. Alternativet in Cultural Perspective 200
  15. Towards an Eclectic Framework 226
  16. Notes 234
  17. References 235
  18. Index 260
Heruntergeladen am 2.5.2026 von https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.56687/9781529211382-005/html?lang=de
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