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During the twentieth century many socialist parties in Western societies have embraced a social-democratic strategy based on electoral, instead of revolutionary, means to achieve their aims.¹ Three features are commonly held to define this social-democratic approach: first, an attachment to the existing institutions of capitalist society (notably parliament); second, an attempt to seek electoral support from a coalition of classes and not from workers alone; and last, a commitment to the introduction of gradual reforms rather than to an immediate transformation of society (Esping Andersen 1984, p. 10, and Przeworski 1985, p. 3). (Some supporters claim that reforms can cumulatively lead to a transformation.)

DOI: 10.1007/978-1-349-24183-5_8

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