Linking Parties with People?

This text examines whether there has been a decline in the participatory and representative linkage provided by Swedish parties between 1960 and 1994. The status and influence of party members is analyzed through a study of party documents, while long-term development is looked at through methodological and conceptual tools. The findings regarding the development of the members' social and ideological representativeness are based on a creative secondary analysis of survey data. There is evidence of a participatory linkage among the Swedish parties.