Descrição
In this compelling book Pippa Norris and Joni Lovenduski provide the first full account of legislative recruitment in Britain for twenty-five years.
Their central concern is how and why some politicians succeed in moving into the highest offices of state, while others fail.
The book examines the relative dearth of women, black and working-class Members of Parliament, and whether the evident social bias in the British political élite matters for political representation.
Legislative recruitment concerns the critical step from lower levels (activists, local counsellors) to a parliamentary career.
The authors draw evidence from the first systematic surveys of parliamentary candidates, Members of Parliament and party selectors, as well as detailed personal interviews.
The study explores how and why people become politicians, and the consequences for parties, legislatures and representative government.
- The first analysis in twenty-five years of who gets into Parliament and why. Based on exhaustive surveys and personal interviews
- Asks why there are so few women, black, and working class MPs, examines why this is important, and seeks solutions
- Will be of interest to political activists and politicians, as well as students and academics, it also contains invaluable comparative material on US and Europe