ABSTRACT
This chapter considers elite political behavior, including basic political values, the question of changing values, elite socialization, and political recruitment to party, legislative, and political executive positions. Britain was one of the five countries included in the pioneering study of political values conducted by Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba, and many studies have been done of mass political values, attitudes, and opinions. The role of mass media in affecting both elite and mass political behavior in Britain is a subject of considerable controversy. Modern British elections are almost completely free of charges of corruption, and they do provide choices of leaders and policy. In all major parties, parliamentary candidate selection is an elaborate process involving the listing and encouragement of eligibles by the central party organization, but usually the ultimate selection is made by the local constituency organization.
