ABSTRACT
It is much the same in many features of mass political behavior. If we look at one nation, we are struck by its uniqueness-the institutions of democracy are different, and political groups and citizens have their distinct traits. For instance, Americanists stress the unique aspects of U.S. political institutions. However, the German political system is also unique among Western parliamentary democracies-with a federal system, a strong bicameral national legislature, the konstruktives Misstrauensvotum, and other institutional particulars. Similarly, Britain, Japan, and each established democracy also have their unique elements. The fundamental democratic structure of these nations and the basic principles of mass political behavior display many commonalities, and often these are lost in the search for detail and uniqueness.
