To What Extent and in What Ways do Election Campaigns Matter?
To What Extent and in What Ways do Election Campaigns Matter?

Summary/Abstract: The collapse of the traditional social ties, the advance of the mass media and the advent of political marketing have altered the structure and the direction of electoral campaigns. Present-day media-mediated electoral campaigns are hotly debated. On one side are those who claim that campaigns simplify political reality, manipulate voters, encourage voting apathy and in the long run contribute to democratic deficit. On the other side are those who claim that campaigns had to adapt to the new communication environment, that only the attractive, media-honed campaigns can attract voters’ attention and that the majority of campaigns on the whole are a positive influence on electoral participation and voters’ familiarity with political processes. This paper is an attempt to present the arguments of both sides and to answer how and to what extent electoral campaigns affect the democratic process.

• Details
• Contents