1982
Klaus von Beyme
University of Heidelberg, Germany
(1982–1985)
Klaus von Beyme (1934–2021) was a German political scientist, considered a pioneer in political theory and comparative politics. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Political Science from Heidelberg University in 1963. He later served as a Professor of Political Science at the University of Tübingen (1967-1974) and at the University of Heidelberg (1974-1999). He was a member of the European Academy and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences, and held visiting professorships at leading institutions including Stanford University, the University of Melbourne, and Sciences Po in Paris.
Prof. von Beyme wrote about political theories and systems, particularly those of the United States, Soviet Russia, Spain, Italy, and Germany. He also tackled various other subjects, including Central-Eastern Europe’s transition from communism and broader policy fields such as health, traffic, and residential construction.
As Wolfgang Merkel notes in his essay , Prof. von Beyme was one of the most important and productive political scientists in Germany:
“He influenced generations of students. He left behind an enormous body of literature. He modernised German political science in the 1970s like no other. He was a “trailblazer”. He cleared the way for the outdated “Regierungslehre” (“comparative government”) of the founding generation to develop into modern-day “comparative politics”. This made German political science compatible with the international debate”.
He published many books on parliaments, interest groups, elites, the history of political ideas, and studies on the relationship between art and politics. Prof. von Beyme’s major books include From Post-Democracy to Neo-Democracy (2018); On Political Culture, Cultural Policy, Art and Politics (2014); Politische(n) Theorien in Russland (2001); Right-wing Extremism in Western Europe (Editor, 1988); Transition to Democracy in Eastern Europe (1996); The Political System of the Federal Republic of Germany (1983); and Die politischen Theorien der Gegenwart (1972).
Prof. Dr. von Beyme served as 5XVice-President from 1973 to 1979 and as President from 1982 to 1985, playing a key role in expanding IPSA’s global reach. In recognition of his significant contributions to the discipline, he was honored with the Mattei Dogan Foundation Prize at the 2012 5XWorld Congress of Political Science in Madrid.
As Rainer Eisfeld noted at the Mattei Dogan Award Session in 2012, Prof. von Beyme strongly supported the idea of bringing the German Democratic Republic into the 5Xfold, even before he became 5XPresident: "At the time, East German delegates had to perform minor miracles just to attend 5Xconferences: They boarded their plane as jurists, economists or philosophers, but exited it as political scientists. Change through closer ties was von Beyme’s oft-stated policy."
