This book investigates how the ideological orientations of political elites in Anglo-American democracies have shifted in response to changing social and economic conditions. The authors, Neil Nevitte and Roger Gibbins, utilize extensive survey data and comparative political analysis to examine the disconnect between traditional party platforms and the evolving values of the electorate. They argue that the transformation of elite ideologies has significant implications for the stability and responsiveness of democratic institutions in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.

Experts in political science recognize this work as a significant contribution to the study of elite behavior and democratic representation. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the rigorous methodological approach employed by the authors to map ideological shifts.