Regionalism + Multi-level Party System

Question 1

Nationbuilding + cleavages

Answer 1

1. Because of nationbuilding the centri-periphery cleavage emerged
2. this led to different types of parties and party systems emerging
3. modernisation would strenghten the terriorial boundaries of nation state
4. old forms of local rule would be broken down
5. the centre-periphery cleavage becomes less important

Question 2

Nationalism + state formation

Answer 2

1. Nationalism was assumed to be linked with state formation
2. old assumption that each ethnic identity has its state. This was based upon the threshold principle where larger ethnicities were seen as important ones and deserved a state
3. also based on idea of self-determination: there has to be an idea of cititzens, to get an idea of this, there needs to be an idea of the state

Question 3

Differences in state after attempt of nation state building

Answer 3

1. France was unitary and highly centralised
2. Germany became federal
3. Great-Brittain had unitary states, but with compromises between nations within
4. Italy unitary, failed to accomplish full incorporation
5. Switzerland and Belgium failed to become an unitary state

Question 4

What happened with old tendencies of nationalism

Answer 4

1. Got institutionalised in political parties and scholarship
2. minorities or challengers were seen as folkloric, primitive and populist
3. many theorists of nationalism thought it would disappear

Question 5

Political ideologies/parties on nationalism

Answer 5

1. Political right defended national identity
2. political left saw questions of identity as taking away form larger questions of redistribution, which was also regionally focused.
   (right cultural, left economical)
   This began to change in 60s due to rise of regionalist movements.

Question 6

Nationalism as ideology

Answer 6

Thin-centered ideology.
needs another ideology to give content
its understanding of world is not comprehenisve enough to stand on its own

Question 7

5 parts of Nationalism ideology

Answer 7

1. Prioritisation of particular group within a territorial structure
2. positive valorisation of one’s own nation
3. desire to give institutional representation of the first 2
4. space + time key for social identity.
5. Strong focus of belonging where sentiment + emotions are important

Question 8

3 other components of nationalism

Answer 8

1. nation is a form of organisation
2. nation is unified in organic community (organic community = harmonious community, providing members with their needs)
3. nation and this organic community practice self-determination

Question 9

3 theories on what Constitutes a nation

Answer 9

1. Primordialist theory says it is about cultural heritage + emotional attachment. It is about ethnicity, but more in a cultural sense than DNA-sense.
2. Modernist theory says it is caused by modernisation and industrialisation. Nations are a function of the state and in order to have an economy you need to have a national identity
3. Constructivist theory states that nation is a cultural construction, done through media/ education and the idea of an imagined community

Question 10

3 forms of Nationalism

Answer 10

1. Political nationalism
2. cultural nationalism
3. ethnic nationalism

Question 11

Cultural nationalism

Answer 11

This is a middle form of nationalism. Focus on common culture
You can become a member of the nation, but it is not as easy as with political nationalism. Which makes it both inclusive and exclusive.

Question 12

Ethnic nationalism

Answer 12

1. Focus on ethnic identity
2. Very closed form
3. you cannot belong to a nation without the same ethnic identity

Question 13

Political nationalism/ civiv nationalisme

Answer 13

1. Open form of nationalism
2. focus on political institutions
3. you can become a member of that nation
4. Tends to be more inclusive
5. National identity is based on institutions
6. certain fulfilments, but it’s possible to achieve

Question 14

Liberal nationalism

Answer 14

1. More civic view
2. emphasis on political allegiance
3. nations are more entities with rights and right to self-determination

Question 15

Conservative nationalism

Answer 15

1. Nation is an organic entity bound by a common ethnic identity and a shared history
2. nation is most significant social group

Question 16

socialist nationalism

Answer 16

1. the nation is an artificial division of humankind whose purpose it is to disguise social injustice + prop-up established order
2. political movements should have an international character

Question 17

Fascist nationalism

Answer 17

1. View that nation as organically unified
2. often defined by race, which gives purpose and meaning to an individual
3. Nations are pitted in a Darwinistic struggle for survival and some are fittest to succeed

Question 18

Regionalism

Answer 18

1. Regionalists call existing nation state into question
2. use the same narrative as nationalism: Why cant we not determine ourselves?
3. want to reorganise the existing power structures of the state
4. want more power over their own affairs/ independence

→ core claim → political reorganization of existing power structures of state -> decentralize process of law-making

Question 19

Regionalist parties manifest in 4 different ways

Answer 19

1. Protectionist parties want to pass laws to protect minorities, but want to remain within the state
2. Autonomist parties want more autonomy in state, more regional power. Special status while remaining in state
3. Independence parties want to separate a certain region from the state
4. National-federalist parties want to federalise the state + devolve power to regions. They field candidates from their region only + campaign with objective of gaining more for interest of region.

Question 20

Why the emergence of regionalist parties?

Answer 20

Could be because of ethnicity, since many are based upon ethnic divisions (religious + linguistic)
–> Catalonia, Basque, Flander
However, this is less about regions such as Northern Italy, Scotland, Wales and Bavaia
we need to look at two phases:
1. phase 1: 1960s-1990
2. phase 2: 2000 onwards

Question 21

Phase 1 regionalism

Answer 21

1960-1990.
There were 3 developments that helped mobilise regional identities
1. economic restructuring of states
2. self-determination
3. Identity politics

Question 22

Economic restructuring of the states in phase 1 regionalism

Answer 22

1. Post WWII economic development was more nation state bound
2. Case made about redistribution: distribution between regions was always down top-down in a technocratic way (by government/elite)
   redistribution needed to fix regionalism
3. Rise of globalisation challenged the nation state. The state was able to do less as markets opened
4. internal restructering of organisation of economy –> less ability to redistribute between regions

Question 23

Self-determination phase 1 regionalism

Answer 23

Due to decolonisation some regions took this as a way to say that they were being colonised by nation state. Rise of self-determination thoughts

Question 24

Identity politics regionalism phase 1

Answer 24

1. growing sense of alienation from mainstream parties –> dealignment
2. rise of post material values and identity politics
3. more thoughts of what kind of political parties to support
4. we see many of these movements begni to demand protection of language

Question 25

Phase 2 regionalism

Answer 25

2000s and onwards.
This was the institutionalisation of regionalist ideas in the form of multi-level party system caused by:
* EU-integration
* Regionalist movements having success

Question 26

Phase 2 regionalism EU-integration

Answer 26

1. European integration created the Europe of the Regioins where regions can have a seat in Brussels
2. This meant regional development funds and more cooperation across borders
3. provided an instutional context for regional movements
4. Regional movements could now undermine nation state by representing themselves and asking for money + regional strategies discussions

Question 27

Success regionalist movments phase 2

Answer 27

1. Because of the success of regional parties –> started pushing more for decentralisation + obtaining powers at regional levels
2. they got to decide more, sometimes even broke open traditional party system + created a new one
3. because national parties had to adapt, they had to keep regional interests in mind
4. success this way led to more success
5. centri-periphery cleavage has bloomed again because of adaption + party systems being more multi-level.