Dignitaries party

As notabilities one is political party called essentially by the political activity of notables is worn.

The honorary parties are largely supported by voluntary work and therefore manage without a special administrative apparatus with full-time and paid functionaries . They also have few members. These come from the wealthy upper middle class and educated middle class , and because of his economic independence in a position to be involved in politics without charge. The parliamentary group is the center of the party, there is no close connection between the party elite and the grassroots.

The party research uses the term in particular for the historical beginnings of the conservative and especially the liberal parties.

development

With the growing size and importance of elections, election committees were formed in the German Reich during the 19th century that united respected citizens "of property and education". Those who had already made it into parliament ensured the cohesion of the groups ; There were full-time politicians only in the form of journalists . An active life prevailed only in the election period; The focus was on the establishment and implementation of candidates for parliament. Local political clubs supported the recruitment of individual parliamentary groups. In particular, those not previously represented had to set up committees to publicize the new elites who were able to compete with the electorate with the reputation of the old.

A typical example is the German Progressive Party, founded in 1861 .

literature

• Thomas Nipperdey : The organization of the German parties before 1918. Droste Verlag: Düsseldorf 1961.
• Maurice Duverger : The political parties . JCB Mohr (Paul Siebeck): Tübingen 3rd edition 1959