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Party systems:

Party systems:. An initial view. Midterm. Thursday, Feb. 26 th Two parts: Part I Short essays: Briefly comment on the validity of six (6) of the following statements. 10 points each, 40% (35 minutes) Part II Longer essay. Answer one (1) of the following questions:

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Party systems:

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  1. Party systems: An initial view

  2. Midterm • Thursday, Feb. 26th • Two parts: • Part I Short essays: Briefly comment on the validity of six (6) of the following statements. • 10 points each, 40% (35 minutes) • Part II Longer essay. Answer one (1) of the following questions: • 40% 40 minutes

  3. What is a party system? • Implies: • Parts • Regular, recurring, systematic, interaction • Party system = the milieu or environment in which parties interact with each other • `Systemness: • Has the character of being a system • Each party’s strategy, tactics, and behaviour affected (among other things) by what other parties do

  4. Party systems: • System: any regular, recurring pattern of interaction • Party system: the context in which parties operate and interact with each other. • Systemic features: • what one party does influences others • they need to take account of its behaviour, strategies, the support which it can win

  5. Ways in which party systems vary: • Differences in number of parties: • Two party • Multiparty • Moderate • Extended (“extreme”) • Differences in the degree of polarization • Differences in the number of dimensions along which parties compete

  6. Making sense of party systems Classifications usually based on • Number of political parties • But how do you count them? • Extent of polarization: how far apart are they? Poles apart Other relevant factors: • Number of dimensions or factors on which parties divide

  7. Counting parties: • Do you count all parties contesting elections or only parties of significance? • If so, how do you tell? • Giovanni Sartori’s counting rules: • Include all parties winning 5% or more • Include smaller parties if they have blackmail potential (e.g. their seats in parliament are needed to form a coalition)

  8. Types of party systems

  9. Accounting for differences: Standard explanations: • Party systems rooted in patterns of cleavage • The impact of electoral laws • PR vs. SMP Other considerations: • Chicken or egg: which came first? • Patterns of mobilization and the freezing of electoral alignments

  10. What difference does it make? Impact of the number of parties: • on electoral choice? • on political accountability? • on cabinet stability? Impact of polarization: • What problems does a more polarized party system create?

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