Flashcards
Party Systems
Cards in this deck (14)
- 1What does a party system consist of?A party system consists of several parties that interact in relatively stable ways across one or more political arenas.
- 2What do the different elements associated with party systems mean?Parties refers to the amount, the distribution of seats & the extent to which they are polarized ideologically. Interaction refers to patterns of behavior (e.g. competitive/consensual). Arenas refers to government, parliament, electoral, levels of local, regional, national, European & policies of excluded or problematic issues. Stable refers to the extent to which parties & their interactions are institutionalized (regular, known, & accepted).
- 3What did Mair mean by 'systemness' in 2009?If institutionalization is high then a country has a party system with parties that have stable numbers, vote shares & polarization, well-known party interactions & they reach across arenas. If institutionalization is low then a country has a set of parties with fluctuating parties, unpredictable interactions & limited/changing reach.
- 4What classical classifications did Duverger make in 1954?He distinguished between two-party systems v. multi-party systems. It is a
common distinction but questions over the amount of parties in a multi-party system & whether they are all the same. It does not consider the relative strength & polarization & reach over arenas. - 5What does two-party interaction involve?Transparent competition for government
involves two major parties (other parties might exist), one winner (single-party majority governments) & confrontational, no coalitions or joint policies. The implication is strong accountability, voters can punish government, regular alterations common but there is limited choices for voters. - 6What classical classifications did Blondel make in 1968?Adds parties’ relative strength. Two-party: UK, US, NZ. Two-and-a-half-party: West Germany. Multi-party systems with a dominant party: Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Germany(?). Multi-party systems without a dominant party: Netherlands, Switzerland.
- 7What classical classifications did Sartori make in 1976?Relative strength & ideological polarization, two-partism, moderate multi-partism segmented multi-partism, polarised multi-partism, predominant party systems & 3 consecutive parliamentary majorities.
- 8Do party systems matter?Tendency to re-produce even if conditions change (e.g. new electoral system. Influence variables such as the degree of representation & accountability in a country. Shape the scope for political change or stability. Influence how citizens experience & evaluate politics.
- 9How do electoral systems shape party systems?‘Duverger’s law’ posits relationship between electoral system & party system. ‘An almost complete correlation is observable between the simple-majority single-ballot system & the two-party system’. Mechanical effect: third parties win few seats because must be first-placed. Psychological effect: voters deterred from ‘wasting’ votes on small parties. PR usually produces multi-party systems.
- 10How do social cleavages shape party systems?Lipset & Rokkan (1967) - social cleavages are historical conflicts determined shape of party systems. Parties express social divisions. Historical roots of West European party systems. The four main social cleavages are; centre-periphery, church-state, land-industry, owner-worker.
- 11What are the trends in advanced party systems?Decline of two-party systems. Decline of predominant party systems. Few instances of polarised multi-partism. Most party systems becoming moderate multi-party systems.
- 12Has there been a disappearance of 'anti-party' systems?Anti-system parties are parties opposed to liberal democracy - fascist & communist parties. Newer party types not (necessarily) anti-system - green parties (not so new anymore), radical-right parties
& post-communist/radical-left parties. - 13What is bipolar (not two-party) competition?Bipolar competition is polarised blocs, e.g. left & right & rival parties in each bloc compete for position. The trend is due to
competition based on personality, not policy – offering rival teams of leaders & valence, competence, leaders’ qualities. - 14What is the conclusion?Party systems can be described along many dimensions. Number, strength & polarization important but not the only dimensions. Many factors influence the party systems (& their various dimensions). Party systems particularly interesting for their potential effects.
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- Parties & Elections Yr 2 Flashcards on Party Systems, created by Miss Rogers on 20/02/2019.
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- Miss Rogers
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