The Hidden Election: Politics and Economics in the 1980 Presidential Campaign

Sprightly essays by 11 political scientists. A major conclusion, based on substantial evidence, is that Reagan's victory does not represent a realignment but a "fateful dealignment, the continued disintegration of those political coalitions and economic structures that have given American party politics some stability and definition during the past generation." The book's overall tone and thrust will be applauded by those appalled by the nature of the campaign and its outcome.