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Parties and Elections > Week 17 > Flashcards

Week 17 Flashcards

Party Families

1
Q

What are party families?

A

Parties in different countries that share similar ideological preferences

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2
Q

What is ideology?

A
  • A vision of the good society
  • A desirable end point often different from the status quo
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3
Q

How to identify party families?

A
  • Compare policy positions of individual parties on specific issues (e.g., economy, immigration or environment, etc.)
  • Identify cross national links/federations (e.g., parties in the UK, US, EU, etc.)
  • Look for a historical common origin of parties (e.g., religion, class, etc.)
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4
Q

Why do parties adopt ideologies?

A
  • Strategic and spatial explanation
  • Sociological explanation
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5
Q

What is the strategic and spatial explanation?

A

Parties position themselves ideologically to attract the most voters and increase the chances to win an election

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6
Q

What might prevent parties from moving away from their position?

A
  • Credibility and reputation
  • Intra-party institutional constraints
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7
Q

Why would credibility and reputation prevent parties from moving away from their position?

A
  • New voters don’t believe the shift so keep voting for other parties
  • Core voters lose trust if the party gives up their established position
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8
Q

Why would intra-party institutional constraints prevent parties from moving away from their position?

A
  • What are the rules for policy changes?
  • Activists or hardliners might block changes
  • MPs joined the party under the previous ideology not the new one
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9
Q

Who grouped parties into ideological spiritual families?

A

von Beyme

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10
Q

What countries do von Beyme’s ideological spiritual families apply to and not apply to?

A
  • Applicable to
    Europe, Australia and New Zealand
  • NOT applicable to
    Canada, the US or Latin America
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11
Q

Why do similar ideologies exist across party systems?

A
  • Strategic and spatial explanation
  • Sociological explanation
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12
Q

Why do similar ideologies exist across party systems according to the strategic and spatial explanation?

A
  • Limited number of electorally attractive positions
  • Across Europe, parties have filled these positions
  • Sometimes they are slow to fill their positions (e.g., far-right parties)
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13
Q

Why do similar ideologies exist across party systems according to the sociological explanation?

A
  • European countries have experienced similar historical juncture and social conflicts
    e.g., parties formed to represent the working class like socialist parties are common to many countries
  • Places where historical juncture have differed parties differ from the European families
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14
Q

What are some types of party families?

A
  • Socialists and social democrats
  • Communists
  • Green parties & the New Left
  • Liberal parties
  • Christian democrats
  • Conservatives
  • The far right
  • Regional and ethnic parties
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15
Q

Why did socialist and social democrats form?

A
  • Formed to represent working class when the franchise was extended (e.g., British Labour, German SPD and Greek Pasok
  • Close historical ties with trade unionism
  • Responsible for the establishment of the European welfare state (free or subsidised)
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16
Q

What are the internal tensions of the socialists and social democrats?

A
  • Old school socialists
    (big active government)
  • The third way
    (limited government, focus on equality of opportunity rather than equality of outcomes)
17
Q

What are the communists modern relevancy and historical platform?

A
  • Few in number today and low significance (e.g., French, Italian or Greek Communist parties)

Historical platform
- Centralised government and control of the economy
- Eurocommunism

18
Q

What are the contemporary characteristics of communist parties?

A
  • More socialist than communist
  • Anti-corruption platform
  • Local party base is important
19
Q

What are the core concerns of the New Left / Green Parties?

A

Mostly a 1990s new-politics phenomenon

Core concerns
- The environment
- Reduced economic development and more regulation of industry

20
Q

What are the successes of the New Left / Green Parties?

A
  • More than 10% of the vote in some countries like Belgium
  • In government in some countries like Germany
  • Overall politics has become greener
21
Q

Agrarian parties

A
  • Established to represent agrarian, rural-based interests
    E.g. Norwegian/Swedish Centre Party or the Polish Peasants Party
  • Strongest in Northern Europe
  • Seeking more urban appeal
22
Q

What ideologies do liberal parties hold?

A

Centre but more varied party family
E.g. British Liberal Democrats and German FDP

Ideology
- Individualism
- Anticlericalism (opposition to religious authority)
- Economics (split): fiscal responsibility & small government vs pro-welfare state

23
Q

What are the successes of liberal parties?

A
  • More than 10% vote share in several states
  • Often active in government
24
Q

What are the origins and ideology of Christian democrats?

A

Religious historical origins
E.g. German CDU/CSU, Dutch Christian Democrats, Norwegian Christian People’s Party

Ideology
- Social concerns
- Pro-welfare
- Say they’re anti-liberal but their positions are only slightly different from liberals
- Business friendly

25
Q

Where are conservative parties found and what are their ideologies?

A

Conservative parties are found in countries with weak Christian democratic parties
E.g. French UMP, UK Conservatives, Swedish Moderate Party

Ideology
- Pro-business
- Nationalist (e.g., French Gaullists)
- Eurosceptic (e.g. British Tories)
- Less concern for social issues

26
Q

What are some examples of far right parties and how popular are they?

A

Examples
- French National Parties
- Austrian Freedom Party
- Dutch Party for Freedom

Popularity
- Politically marginalised in some countries.
- Are part of the government in other countries like Austria and Italy
- Increasingly popular and successful over the recent past

27
Q

Regional and ethnic parties

A
  • Typically niche parties representing religious, ethnic or linguistic minorities
  • Frequently aim for autonomy or independence

Examples
- Scottish National Party
- Plaid Cymru
- Basque National Party
- Italian Northern League

Parties and Elections (11 decks)

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