ABSTRACT
The political style of many of the Western European democracies is often characterized in
terms of continuing political instability. To the Anglo-American observer, at least, the
most noticeable features are a succession of short-lived ministries, unstable party
coalitions, the occasional dramatic intervention of the army in politics and the occurrence
of revolutionary or quasi-revolutionary situations. The political parties and groups are
seen to be uncompromising and ideologically intransigent in their behaviour. It is this
type of political system we now wish to look at. In looking at the dynamic of this political
ferment we hope to some degree to examine the part pressure groups and parties play in
creating the dominant style of politics, but our most important task must remain the
delineation of the typical configuration of group activity. We shall direct our attention to the two major nations exhibiting such historical features: France (at least until 1958?),
and Weimar Germany, and, to a lesser degree, modern Italy. In the case of the two former
nations we shall also examine the most recent developments in order to see whether a
new and distinctive style of politics is not being created.
