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