-
Academic Journal
-
Legislative Studies Quarterly; Feb78, Vol. 3 Issue 1, p83-108, 26p, 10 Charts, 4 Graphs
-
In order to examine the effects of cleavages on the Belgian political system, three images of Belgian politics based on theoretical literature are outlined. These images are then compared with evidence from a public opinion survey and interviews with Belgian members of parliament. It is argued that the evidence is most compatible with an image of Belgian politics in which cleavages are an occasional and unpredictable source of conflict and in which parties serve more as loose alliances for gaining political power and position than as the political institutionalization of cleavages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Additional Information
Copyright of Legislative Studies Quarterly is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)