ADAPTATION OF POLITICAL ACTORS TO THE CHALLENGES OF CONTEMPORARY POLITICS

Author: MAKARENKO B.I.

Communicology. 2016. v.4, n.5
MAKARENKO Boris Igorevich, Chairman of the Board, Center for Political Technologies, professor, National Research University Higher School of Economics.

Abstract: The article discusses changes in the political parties and party systems in the age of globalization. Having described the impact of various aspects of globalization on public life, the author analyzes its consequences for political actors; primarily he looks at ever growing sophistication of the structure of societal cleavages conducive to further fragmentation of party systems and the rise of “new left” and “new right” parties. Further, the article attempts to categorize such new parties and to forecast their evolution. The article also looks at new forms
of participation of citizens in politics, such as primary elections and the use of information technologies for communication between politicians and voters. The overall conclusion is that modern parties learn to adapt to new political environment and, despite certain symptoms of internal crisis, remain the key institute of public politics.

Key words: political parties, party systems, elections, globalization, democracy, political development.

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