MPs and the Internet Between the Rock of Technology and the Hard Place of Politics?

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MPs and the InternetBetween the Rock of
Technology and theHard Place of Politics?

• Dr. Thomas Zittel
• Mannheim Center for European Social Research
  (MZES), University of Mannheim, Germany
• and
• University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany

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Fig. 1 Number of Democracies, 1900
2000Source Dahl 1989 Coppege 1993
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Fig. 2 Voter Turnout in Advanced Industrial
Democracies, 1950 1997Source Mark Gray and
Miki Caul, 2000
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Fig. 3 Party Membership, 1980 2000Source
Mair and van Bienzen, 2000
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Confidence in Parliament

• In 1986, a majority of Swedes (51) expressed
  confidence in the Riksdag.
• By 1996, only 19 did so.
• (Source Pharr, Putnam, Dalton 2000)

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Bringing Citizens Back in with Electronic
Democracy
Citizens
Parliament
Interest-Registration
Deliberation

Information
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• Research Questions
• Do MPs utilize the Internet to directly
  communicate with citizens?
• What are the factors that foster direct digital
  communication, what are obstacles to it?

Research Design Comparative German Bundestag,
Swedish Riksdag, US House of Representatives

• Data
• Content analyses of personal websites in 04/2000
  and 04/2004
• Exploratory interviews with MPs and staffers in
  1999 and 2000
• Standardized in-depth interviews with 80 MPs and
  staffers between 08/2003 and 09/2004.

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• Erratic Uses of the Internet

Definition The Internet is neither used in a
holistic way (e-democracy), nor is the decision
taken not to use the Internet, nor is this
medium used in a secular way along a single
dimension of political communication. Erratic
uses indicate an attempt to use the Internet
without any visible meaningful purpose.

• Significance
• Negative effects on the attitudes and behavior
  of citizens
• Indicators for a complex set of conflicting
  incentives

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Fig. 4 Advertised Personal-Homepages in the
Riksdag and the German Bundestag, 04/2000 and
04/2004
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Fig. 5 Erratic Uses of Personal Websites in the
Swedish Riksdag
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Explaining Erratic Uses of the Internet
Conflicting Opportunity Structures
Internet
Erratic Uses
MPs who want to Be re-elected
Political Context
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The Internet as a Means to Become a More
Effective Legislator
It absolutely helps me, because, I find
rather good information. I was writing my speech
for the debate about the prison system in Sweden
. I was looking for information on the website
of the (Justice Department) and I found pretty
useful stuff. It was a big help.
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The Internet as a Means to Claim Credit for
Legislative Achievements
It is me who decides what is on it. It gives me
control over what is published about me. When
we go to elections in two years from now, people
will have the possibility to go (to my website)
to see what (I have) done during those years,
(whether I deserve) a second period or (whether I
was) lazy.
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The Internet as a Means to be Responsive to the
Demands of Various Constituents
The Media I dont have a personal
website. But, three months ago, , a journalist
of our local newspaper was here in Stockholm
for two days. He interviewed about 10
people from my region, from different parties
. and we discussed for two hours various
question. When I read his article he had been
asking everyone of us if we had our personal
website. And then I was the only one who didnt
have one. And then they had a big news, XY, he
dont have any personal website.
Representatives of the New Economy
Voters
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The Idea of Party Unity as a Constraint to
Digitalized Direct Communication
We think it is the parties policy that is most
important. I dont go out on election night and
tell people to vote for me. That means that I
dont have any use whatsoever for a private
website. The party has a website.
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The Lack of Ressources as a Constraint to
Digitalized Direct Communication
Because I was a computer programmer, I was happy
to learn how to design a Website. I took a small
course from a colleague who is very into it. He
taught me how to use Frontpage which is not very
difficult. So, I did it myself. I also update it
myself. All the news I put in, I have to do it
myself. It takes about one hour every
Sunday. I read E-mail personally and I
answer them directly. I have no staff to do this.
So, this is more work A Website is certainly
the thing Id like to do but what I couldnt do
because of restricted resources
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Beyond Rocks and Hard PlacesThree Options

• Focus on marginal uses of the Internet
• Adopt centralized solutions
• Change the basic structure of Political
  Representation

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MPs and the InternetBetween the Rock of
Technology and theHard Place of Politics?

• Dr. Thomas Zittel
• Mannheim Center for European Social Research
  (MZES), University of Mannheim, Germany
• and
• University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany