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The current imperative in journal articles of presenting new data and new 'theory' has largely been at the expense of new interpretations and 'big picture' analyses. This article proceeds from the failure of the comparative politics literature, from Sartori to Evans and Green‐Pedersen, to grasp the essential dynamics of the Cold War Finnish party system and the curious absence of Finnish studies of the significant legislative party system change occurring thereafter. Following a critique of Green‐Pedersen's notion of 'party system implosion' as applied to Finland, the article depicts a shift from the contingent party system of the Cold War era, when exogenous veto players formed institutional barriers to office‐seeking parties, to the present convergent party system where most, if not all parties compete for, and converge on, the centre ground and cooperate interchangeably in governing coalitions without significant deviations in the main lines of public policy.

The paper analyzes the party system change at the level ofJapan's national politics. The party system after the 1990s can be classified into three periods according to some indicators to measure party system change. The present party system in the 2010s is characterized by the LDP dominance and fragmentation and fluidity of opposition parties. It is called "Abe ikkyō politics (安倍一強政治)" which means the LDP dominance under Abe administration. At the final section of the paper the problem of party system fragmentation and ruling party dominance is argued referring to the theory of party system institutionalization and democratic consolidation.

Intro -- TABLE OF CONTENTS -- PREFACE-A WORD ON THE LATE ELECTION -- I-THE REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM -- THE IDEA OF REPRESENTATION -- WHAT THE PUBLIC THINKS -- PAST AND PRESENT -- II-THE GOVERNING GROUP -- THE MAKING OF MINISTRIES -- THE PLACEMEN -- THE SECRET ALLIANCE -- III-THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AS IT IS -- THE CONTROL OF THE TIME-TABLE -- HOW IT WORKS -- A CONCRETE EXAMPLE -- "THE TONE OF THE HOUSE" -- IV-THE SECRET FUNDS -- THE UNMENTIONABLE TRUTH -- THE SALE OF LEGISLATIVE POWER -- THE SALE OF POLICIES -- V-THE CONTROL OF ELECTIONS -- THE PARTY CAUCUS -- THE SELECTION OF CANDIDATES -- AN ELECTION -- THE SELECTION OF PROGRAMMES -- VI-THE DEFENCE -- THE EXCUSES -- THE REAL SUPPORT -- THE PERIL -- VII-CAN IT BE MENDED? -- NOTES -- A NOTE ON CO-OPTION -- A NOTE ON COLLUSION -- A NOTE ON THE PRESS.

Preface.--I. The representative system.--II. The governing group.--III. The House of commons as it is.--IV. The secret funds.--V. The control of elections.--VI. The defence.--VII. Can it be amended?--Notes. ; Mode of access: Internet.

Reproduction of original from Harvard Law School Library. ; "First published, September, 1911. Re-issued, February, 1913."--T.p. verso. ; Preface -- I. The representative system -- II. The governing group -- III. The House of Commons as it is -- IV. The secret funds -- V. The control of elections -- VI. The defence -- VII. Can it be mended? -- Notes. ; RLIN, ; Electronic reproduction. ; Mode of access: Internet.