Finland's modern, technologically advanced welfare state is, in fact, a fairly recent creation. The social changes through which these post-industrial structures were introduced occurred much later than elsewhere in the West; once underway, they took place with unprecedented rapidity. This book is the story of what happens to parties, governments and voters when the fundamental features that conditioned party formation and voter alignments undergo a rapid transformation. It is this perspective that makes the Finnish case interesting in an international comparison. To the largest extent possible, this book therefore examines Finland in a comparative perspective. Karvonen's study is based on a wealth of new primary evidence. It demonstrates that Finland is indeed a special case in certain respects, especially when it comes to the attenuation of ideological rivalry and the recurrent waves of populist protest. 'This is an outstanding analysis of the political and social history of...