political parties interest aggregation interest representation march 30 th, 2004
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Political PartiesInterest AggregationInterest RepresentationMarch 30th, 2004
Political Parties vs. Interest Groups interest groups strive to influence
political outcomes political parties strive to become
the governing party both represent political interests
political parties also aggregate interests
in doing so, political parties act to filter of interests
Type of Political Parties basis of organization
electoral-professional parties vs. mass parties
basis of electoral competition pragmatic parties (brokerage
parties) ideological-programmatic parties interest parties
Ideological/Programmatic Parties organized around social cleavages
class religion ethnicity region
traditional conceptions of ideology left vs. right
The Ideological SpectrumThe Ideological Spectrum
The Left -- The Left -- SocialistSocialist
The Right -- The Right -- ConservativeConservative
•government regulation of government regulation of the economythe economy
•policies to help policies to help disadvantaged groupsdisadvantaged groups
•policies to redistribute policies to redistribute incomeincome
•greater reliance on the greater reliance on the marketmarket
•fewer government fewer government regulationsregulations
•no special treatment for no special treatment for special interest groupsspecial interest groups
•lower taxeslower taxes
More Gov’tMore Gov’t Less Gov’tLess Gov’t
General Trends -- Political Parties the rise of pragmatism
The Ideological Spectrum The Ideological Spectrum The Rise of PragmatismThe Rise of Pragmatism
The Left -- The Left -- SocialistSocialist
The Right -- The Right -- ConservativeConservative
Tony Blair (Britain) New Labour
Bill Clinton (US) New Democrats
George W. Bush (US) Compassionate Conservatism
General Trends -- Political Parties single member plurality systems
encourage pragmatic parties; PR promotes ideological/interest parties
the rise of pragmatism parties increasingly competing to occupy
the centre of the political spectrum reasons?
success of pragmatic parties has been self-reinforcing
the fall of communism affluence of western industrialized
societies
Political Parties & Democracy mass parties vs. electoral-
professional parties mass parties encourage greater
participation in politics by the public
majoritarian democrats electoral-professional parties
elite democrats
Political Parties & Democracy ideological/interest parties vs. pragmatic
parties ideological/interest parties
gives clear electoral choices• help make elections meaningful• encourages greater mass participation
majoritarian democrats pragmatic parties
depend on party elites (to broker deals among various interests)
elections• differences between parties are limited• electoral choice is really about best
management team elite democrats
Political Parties & Democracy liberal democrats
crucial point is that individuals remain free to form political parties (and contest elections) free from state interference
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