Party system change

1
Party system change

• When how do party systems change?

2
The Department of Political Science Presents

• Figuring out what's broke Assessing the effects
  of ownership on political news content
• Dr. Kelly BlidookDepartment of Political Science
• Memorial University of Newfoundland
• Friday March 13, 2009
• SN2033
• 230pm

3
Reminder

• Research paper outlines due in class on Tuesday,
  March 17th
• These should contain
• A re-statement of the topic, including a thesis
  statement
• The argument as you think it will develop, in
  point form
• Papers due Thursday, March 31st

4
Lipset and Rokkan (1967)

• Western European party alignments were frozen
• The party systems of the 1960s resembled with few
  but significant exceptions, the party system of
  the 1920s
• Parties and party alternatives were older than
  some of the voters

5
How valid?

• Correct from perspective of 1960s
• Postwar party systems had settled into patterns
  resembling those of the 1920s
• However,
• parties and what they stood for had changed
• There had also been considerable volatility
  shifting back forth in the interwar period
• Changes began appearing from late 1960s, 1970s
• Left-libertarian parties (Greens, left
  Socialists..)
• Enthno-nationalist parties (Belgium)
• New right populist parties

6
Why party systems stabilize

• Cleavage structure
• Voter loyalties
• Passed from generation to generation?
• Reinforced by cleavage structure
• Established parties trade on experience
• Attract the politically ambitious
• Have reserves of people
• Have recovery potential able to bounce back

7
Sources of change

• Entry of new voters new generations
• Value change
• Voters raised in affluence pursue different goals
  than those who came of age in the depression or
  war
• Changes in cleavage structure
• New parties, if they can make themselves heard,
  can reset agendas
• Especially true of new right populist parties