The pace of electoral change is accelerating in contemporary democracies. This study explains why. Green parties, far right parties, and shifting voting patterns reflect deeper processes of electoral realignment. This book tracks the evolution of citizen and party elite opinions on economic and cultural issues from the 1970s to the 2010s—and the impact of these opinions on electoral politics. Economic issues remain important predictors of vote, but are now matched by cultural issues. An unprecedented time series of empirical evidence from Europe and the United States shows how these changes have reshaped party systems, and the policy linkages between voters and parties.