Uticaj potpunih i parcijalnih društvenih rascepa na partijske sisteme – uporedna analiza zemalja bivše SFRJ
The Impact of Full and Partial Social Cleavages on Party Systems – A Comparative Analysis of the Countries of the former SFRY

Summary/Abstract: Party systems represent parts of political systems which ariseas a result of interactions between political parties. Party relations producecharacteristics which place a particular party system within the typology of partysystems. A number of factors can be considered in explaining the nature of partycompetition, most often placed within the categories of institutional and sociostructuralfactors. This paper analyses the impact of full and partial social cleavageson party systems. Given that the theory of social cleavages has proved insufficientin explaining party differences and the dynamics of party systems, especially innew democracies, we will improve the analysis by including the concept of partialsocial cleavages. This research shows the unequivocal influence of dominant socialcleavages on the situation and changes in party systems. Although in some cases nochanges in the type of party system have occurred, it can be concluded that exactlyin those cases there exist permanent and ingrained social cleavages, but also partialcleavages which affect the relations in the party system at the given time. Identityissues stand out as the dominant topic in political competition, especially in thecountries where ethnic relations have not been resolved.

• Details
• Contents