40th Anniversary edition for Sartori classic

In the original 1975 preface to Parties and Party Systems, its author, Giovanni Sartori, outlines the scope and aims of his book. He also says that a future ‘second volume will investigate… party types, organisation, and functions.’ It would include relating the party topic to cultural variables and to the political system as a whole.

But this never came to pass. After the first volume was published, the manuscript of the second was stolen. There was no other copy.

‘As the years went by,’ explains Sartori, ‘it became increasingly evident that I was unable to rewrite a text that I had already written.’

Eventually an abridged, reconstructed version of the missing portion was created and combined with the first volume into the book that is so beloved today. Parties and Party Systems is now widely considered a classic – and the best of its kind. But, still, somewhere out there is the long lost work of one of our greatest political science minds, never published…

To celebrate the fascinating history of this title, in this, its 40th anniversary year, ECPR Press has launched a brand new edition. Why? As Publisher Mark Kench explains, ‘It is political science at its best. Everyone should know this book. I’ve had students come up to me at conferences, clutching their copy, and say, “This is the only book you need.” We’re proud and happy to be associated with it.’

This special edition of Sartori's classic work, which includes a new foreword by the author is released by ECPR Press concurrently in hardback and softback. Copies are available from Rowman & Littlefield. 

Keywords: Party Systems