L7: Party Systems Flashcards
1
Q
Determinants of Party Systems
A
- the party families comprising it
- the relative strength of these parties in the electorate and legislature
- party constellation: the ideological configuration of these parties vis-à-vis one another
2
Q
On what do the Determinants of Party Systems depend?
A
on the cleavages in a society and electoral rules
3
Q
Elements of a Cleavage (Lipset & Rokkan 1967)
A
- Structural Element: Demographic group in which members are conscious of their group belonging
- Attitudinal Element: Group members have shared view of their collective interests
- Institutional Element: Group articulates these interests through an organization
4
Q
Traditional European Cleavages (Lipset & Rokkan 1967)
A
- Center-Periphery Cleavage
- Church-State Cleavage
- Rural-Urban Cleavage
- Owner-Workers Cleavage
5
Q
Center-Periphery Cleavage
A
- Derived primarily from process of nation-building, especially when externally imposed
- Conquered groups subject to new laws and practices, creating tensions
- Differences between minority and majority groups in language, ethnicity, and cultural practices
- Modern label: ethnic, linguistic, or racial cleavage
- Minority groups emphasize greater civil rights, greater autonomy in spheres of education and culture
- Minority interest groups, ethnic parties, regionalist parties
6
Q
Church-State Cleavage
A
- Roots in the Enlightenment and French Revolution
- Clerical vs. secular
- Religious groups want laws that reflect spiritual beliefs and scripture
- Modern label: religious cleavage Declining importance over time
- Issues of conflict: abortion, divorce, same-sex marriage, school prayer, display of religious symbols
- Religious organizations, religious parties (e.g., Christian Democrats) or factions in large catch-all parties (e.g., the religious right in the US Republican party)
7
Q
Rural-Urban Cleavage
A
- In early industrializing societies, divisions between landed aristocracy and urban capitalists
- Demands for greater representation by new bourgeoisie, and higher taxation on aristocracy
- Later, a division between farmers and urban consumers
- Issues of conflict: agricultural subsidies
- Agricultural organizations, agrarian parties
- Declining importance over time
8
Q
Owner-Workers Cleavage
A
- Working conditions, housing, wages
- In post-industrial societies, divisions between rich and poor
- Modern label: class cleavage
- Declining over time, as working conditions and organizations change, welfare enhancements
- Still the defining cleavage in most advanced democracies Issues of conflict: taxes, pensions, health care
- Unions, chambers of commerce, Social Democratic Parties, Communist Parties, Liberal Parties, Conservatives
9
Q
Party Family Definition
A
- Shared origin
(ex: Most socialist parties emerged in early days of industrial revolution) - Cross-national party linkages
- Similar policy priorities and positions
10
Q
Traditional Party Families
A
- Social Democrats
- Communists
- Christian democrats
- Liberals
- Conservatives
11
Q
Social Democrats
Origins
A
- First mobilized to represent the interests of the working class, its core constituency
- Dominant parties of the left in almost all contemporary democracies
- Typically, the largest parties in Europe (i.e. Sweden)
12
Q
Social Democrats Ideology
A
- Originally, Marxist philosophy advocating labour control of means of production
- Became less radical after the Russian Revolution and departure of pro-Soviet members
- Even less radical with experience in government, and then with rise of middle class
- Economic emphasis, advocates of welfarism and social equality
13
Q
Communists Origins
A
- Formed after the Russian Revolution of 1917
- Marginal during interwar period in most countries
- Resistance to fascism bolstered popularity immediately after WWII
- Largest presence in continental Europe (esp. Italy and France)
- Treated as pariahs
• Electoral decline, effectively disappearing after 1989
14
Q
Communists
Ideology
A
- Advocated the revolutionary overthrow of capitalist democracy
- Organized through Comintern International and Cominform, allegiance to USSR
- In 1970s, advent of “Euro-Communism”: Distance from USSR and revolutionary violence, working within the system
- Emphasis on welfarism, social equality, need for a controlled economy, nationalization
- Example: Italy’s Refounded Communists
15
Q
Christian democrats
Origins
A
- Mobilized in late 19th century in most European countries, representing the interests of middle class and religious voters
- Catholic strand (Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland) and Catholic/Protestant strand (Germany, Netherlands) electorally successful
- Protestant strand (Scandinavia) electorally marginal
• Like Social Democrats, support gradually eroding over time
