Continuity and change in electoral politics, 1893-1928

In Continuity and Change in Electoral Politics, 1893-1928, Paul Kleppner argues that the "ethnocultural model" of voter choice did not apply in all contexts and time periods. Even in the late-nineteenth century, voters in the South and West did not react in the same ways as those in the North and Midwest. Moreover, in these latter regions, both the priorities of voters and the political alternatives available to them changed considerably after the mid 1890s, with the result that the older ethno cultural patterns eroded considerably.

Kleppner's study represents an attempt to move beyond the older voting studies by questioning their underlying assumptions and analyzing the changes that occurred at the beginning of the twentieth century. Rejecting the view that partisan identifica tion is a nearly unchangeable psychologi cal attachment, he argues that twentieth century voters were more likely to re spond to short-term factors-fluctuations in the economy, charismatic candidates, etc. than their nineteenth century coun terparts.