The Greens: the Emergence of a Compound Collective Political Actor

Abstract

The first part of the book critically observes the emergence of the Greens -or rather the problems of devising an analytical framework to account for this emergence — and demonstrates the need for a reconceptualisation of ideology thus providing a theoretical framework for the discussion. The analysis of the new compound political actor may be approached from three different perspectives: the historical circumstances of the emergence of its bearer — and the consequential structural implications; the perceptions of its practitioners and ideologues; and a conceptual approach which illustrates the alternative worldview. The theoretical level is placed within this context — considering the different approaches of social scientists to Green ideology and reflecting on the problems of applying the classic concept of ideology to the Green case.¹ Throughout these perspectives the internal tensions that call for a new theoretical framework will be demonstrated. It will be argued that all these perspectives point to the shortcomings of the available studies of the Green parties, as well as of the concepts of ideology, and suggest a different approach to the theory of ideology. The first three perspectives, offering the political and conceptual background, are discussed in this chapter, while the theories of ideology will be analysed in the second chapter.