Lecture 2: Political Cleavages and Party Systems

Question 1

3 components of political cleavages (Bartolini and Mair)

Answer 1

1. Empirical Element: identifies with the empirical referent of concept that can be defined in social-structural terms.
2. Normative Element: set of values/beliefs which provide a sense of identity and role to the empirical element- self-consciousness of the social groups involved
3. Organizational/behavioral element: set of individual interactions, institutions and organisations e.g political parties

Question 2

social and political cleavages

Answer 2

-Self-conscious demographic groups
-Sharing a common mindset
-Distinct and visible political organization

Question 3

Lipset and Rokkans ‘Classic Model’

Answer 3

argued that before elections there was long-standing historic conflict. after extension of suffrage to more people, those social conflicts became the basis of political competition

Question 4

National Revolution (Source A)

Answer 4

-Centre vs Periphery
-Regionalist party
-National culture vs Ethnic/Linguistic/Religious groups

Question 5

National Revolution (Source B)

Answer 5

-Church vs Secular
-Christian, Democratic Parties
-Rise of state forces church to protect historic powers

Question 6

Industrial Revolution (Source A)

Answer 6

-Land vs Industry
-Conservative and Liberal parties
-Conflict between landed elites and new industrial class

Question 7

Industrial Revolution (Source B)

Answer 7

-Labor vs Capital
-Socialist parties
-Rise of conflict between workers and capitalists

Question 8

Political Party

Answer 8

-brings together people with the same political ideas
-aim to get as many members as possible into representative bodies

Question 9

4 thresholds that determine movement from cleavage to party system

Answer 9

1. Traditions of decision making in polity
2. Channels for expression and mobilisation of protest
3. Opportunities, payoffs and costs of alliances in the system
4. Possibilities, implication and limitations of majority rule in the system

Question 10

Classic cleavage theory

Answer 10

-Political parties express durable political conflicts that arise in the course of socioeconomic change
-voters rooted in durable, organisationally coherent social cleavages
-cleavages are frozen

Question 11

De-alignment theory

Answer 11

-cleavages have declined in incidence and causal power
-education enables individual choice
-younger voters tend to be less partisan
-political parties lose structural distinctiveness, party systems play a role.