Voting. Chapter 17

a hierarchical division of society based on measures such as wealth, education, occupation, and status

long-term attachment to a particular political party, which provides a filter to understanding political events

the weakening between voters and parties reflected both in a fall in the proportion of voters identifying with any party and a decline in the strength of allegiance among those with a party loyalty

the declining space occupied by religion in political, social, and personal life

a voter who makes choices at elections based on the policies that most interest them, rather than solely on the basis of sociological or demographic factors

the process whereby parties and candidates provide material benefits to voters in return for their support at elections

the number of voters who take part in an election expressed as a percentage of the total number of eligible voters

an arrangement in which a regime gives the appearance of being democratic, and offering voters choice, while concealing its authoritarian qualities

a measure of the degree of change in support for political parties from one election to another

violence perpetrated by one group on another for political ends