ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on political cleavages in the advanced industrial world. It analyzes the extent to which issue-oriented dimensions of conflict, such as postmodern-fundamentalist orientations, left-right materialist preferences, and materialist-postmaterialist values, are significant sources of relevant political cleavages. The chapter describes the general issue orientations that define the space of competition in the advanced industrial world. According to Ronald Inglehart, the shift toward postmodern values has brought changes in the political agenda throughout advanced industrial society, moving it away from an emphasis on economic growth at any price toward increasing concerns about environmental costs. The chapter focuses on the question of what the relevant political cleavages are and how they define the party space and party competition in advanced industrial democracies. As Seymour M. Lipset noted the traditional socioeconomic conflict among specific social groups led to support for different political parties; the working class supported the left and the middle and upper classes supported the right.
