| Abstrakt: |
Une Histoire du Conflit Politique by Julia Cagé and Thomas Piketty presents a comprehensive examination of French political dynamics through a longitudinal study of electoral behaviour from the 19th century to the present. Positioned at the intersection of political science and socio-economic analysis, the book discusses the formation and evolution of political cleavages in France. While emphasizing the role of socio-economic factors in shaping electoral outcomes, Cagé and Piketty argue that the alternation of the bipolar and tripolar political structuration of the political space results from the salience of political cleavages, challenging prevailing interpretations in the field. The authors rely on an extensive dataset to explore the transformation of voter bases and the shifting electoral fortunes of major political parties. However, the book's reliance on aggregated municipal-level data raises important methodological concerns, potentially obscuring nuances in individual voting behaviour and historical context. Furthermore, the authors' normative assertions and political preferences occasionally overshadow their empirical rigour, limiting the book's analytical depth. Despite these limitations, Une Histoire du Conflit Politique contributes valuable insights into French electoral history and invites further interdisciplinary and comparative research into political dynamics across advanced democracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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