Manipulation or Participation? Membership Inclusion in the Party Organizations of the German Social Democratic Workers’ Party and the British National Liberal Federation

Abstract

The first mass parties have been often criticized by contemporaries and later scholars who argued that they were based on representative instead of direct democracy. Considering the need of these large political organizations to function efficiently, this criticism might seem appropriate. This chapter, however, provides a new perspective on political parties with the historical comparison of two primary examples of early party organizations. The founders of the German Social Democratic Workers’ Party (SDAP) and the British National Liberal Federation (NLF) implemented different administrative structures to involve members and control leaders, but, simultaneously, functioned efficiently in the political realm. Focusing on strong leadership (SDAP) or independence of local branches (NLF), respectively, these two cases display different options of organizing mass politics in the late nineteenth century.