Table of Contents

List of Tables

Acknowledgements

List of Abbreviations

Introduction

1: Theoretical Perspectives: How to understand Europarties

2: Historical Context: from the First International to the PES

3: The Social democratic policy area: PES Employment Policy

4: The PES and the development of Socialist Environment Policy

5: A success story? PES Influence over the outcomes of the Treaty of Amsterdam

6: PES influence on the EU agenda since Amsterdam

Conclusion: The PES and the Europeanization of social democracy

Appendix One: Full Member, Associate And Observer Parties of the PES

Bibliography

Index

About the Author

University of Leeds, UK.

Reviews

'Lightfoot offers a painstaking and convincing analysis of PES influence in two main policy areas, employment and environment.' - Journal of Contemporary European Studies'Simon Lightfoot has made a well-crafted contribution to the theoretical and empirical understanding of transnational parties.' - Journal of Common Market Studies'This book will prove very interesting to scholars of European political parties and social democracy.' - Political Studies Review

'With the pressures exerted on traditional forms of democracy by neo-liberal economic forces, and the growing inter-dependence of the states of the European Union, the Party of European Socialists has great potential importance. The supreme virtue of Simon Lightfoot's thoughtful and well-researched book is that it avoids the extremes of wild optimis and undue pessimisim. Anyone who wishes to understand the significance of social democracy at a transnational level will learn a great deal from this book.' - Professor Michael Lightfoot, London Metropolitan University, UK 'This book will prove very interesting to scholars of European political parties and social democracy.' - Political Studies Review