In "A Theory of Democratic Politics," Erik Moberg derives a large number of hypotheses concerning the politics of four types of democratic systems. This is outstanding work, and I agree with most of his conclusions. His four types emerge from the contrasts between proportional and plurality electoral systems and between presidential and parliamentary government.  Moberg's conclusions are based on a systematic investigation of the importance of this fourfold classification for the shaping of political parties and party systems. This is a highly innovative and theoretically very significant contribution to political science.

February 2003,
Arend Lijphart
Research Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of California, San Diego