Exam 2 WEP

What might explain the CDU's failure in the most recent election?

"A bad campaign by a gaffe-prone (laughable) candidate is part of the explanation. But the causes of the CDU's malaise run deeper, and stretch beyond Germany's borders."

France example of strategic voting

"Failure" of system was to disenfranchise many voters in second round - Jospin (socialist) OUT In France, top person got less than 20% of the vote When people don't vote strategically, random people can get through which leaves people with almost no preferable choice Fragmentation scatters the vote to random, smaller parties In France - the fragmentation of the left takes away from the Socialists who actually can win. Should vote for party that can actually win, not always something that's exactly what you want Need consolidation behind candidate or campaign better

merits of plurality systems versus proportional representation

"First, many would echo the claims of Duverger and note that plurality systems tend to produce two-party (or, more accurately, perhaps, predominantly two-party) systems, as seen in Great Britain, France (multi-party but a system with historically strong left and right blocs based on party alliances), and, beyond Europe, in Canada, Australia, and the United States. Two-party systems ensure that one party will be able to form a majority, obviating any need to form a potentially messy and unstable coalition government. In addition to being cumbersome to manage, coalitions are also problematic from the standpoint of democratic theory. They are often created through a process of bargaining or "horse-trading" among political elites, behind the scenes and beyond the power of voters. In addition, coalition government may give undue influence to small parties (e.g. historically the case with the Free Democrats in Germany), who become the "kingmakers," creating or destroying government by throwing their support to one party or another. Coalitions can therefore be held captive by the interests of a small group, complicating the efforts of the government to adopt policies that may have wide support among the population. A two-party system also makes parties compete for the "median voter," the hypothetical voter occupying the middle of the political spectrum. In other words, plurality systems encourage moderate, large, catch-all parties. In contrast, under proportional representation, more extremist or anti-system parties can gain seats and, as is seen increasingly with the rise of nationalist-populist parties in many countries, complicate the formation of a government. In France, in contrast, the two-ballot plurality system has prevented the FN from winning a large number of parliamentary seats. Moreover, historically speaking, some would argue that the PR system in Weimar Germany (1919-1933) facilitated the rise of extremist politics, epitomized by the emergence of the National Socialist (Nazi) Party. In addition, plurality systems ensure geographical representation (although PR systems can make some accommodation for this), making individual members of parliament more clearly accountable to a particular constituency. Moreover, by getting to vote for a candidate—not merely a party as with a closed list PR system—voters can weigh the particular merits of individuals (e.g. ethics, experience) and not just the party's ideology. Advocates of PR point to several flaws with plurality systems. Under plurality systems, election results tend to be skewed, meaning the number of seats a party wins may not correspond to the number of overall votes it receives. For example, while British elections typically result in one party winning a majority of seats, that party typically does not win the majority of votes. This can be seen in Table 4.3 . In this case, the Conservative Party, even though it did not win a majority of total voters, did win a majority of seats, thus allowing its leader, Boris Johnson, to remain Prime Minster. While his party did receive more votes than any other party, another way of looking at it is that 56.4 percent of Britons voted against the Conservatives. On the other side, pro-EU, centrist Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) received disproportionally fewer seats than their overall vote share. This discrepancy has long been the bane of the LDP, which has supported changing the electoral system. This is one way in which Britain's SMDP system produces "wasted votes." The reason for this skewed outcome lies primarily in the winner-take-all nature of SMDP, but also in the presence of smaller parties such as the LDP. In short, it does not matter how much an individual candidate wins a district by, as long as she receives more votes than other candidates. Smaller parties which do well to gain a sizeable fraction (10 to 20 percent) of the overall vote, such as the LDP, will likely win relatively few districts. Adding up votes and seats across dozens of hundreds of districts, the percentage of vote they receive overall will not correspond to the percentage of seats. For example, consistently winning 10 or 15 percent of the vote in every district will likely yield zero seats. In contrast, if votes are concentrated in a particular region, as is the case with the Scottish National Party (SNP), a party might win a higher percentage of seats than votes. This can be seen in Table 4.3 for the SNP, whose forty-eight seats all come from Scotland, as it This can be seen in Table 4.3 . did not run candidates in other parts of the country. In France, which uses the two-ballot plurality system, there are also skewed results. For example, in 2017 the pro-presidential coalition, led by La République En Marche received 32 percent of the vote in the first round of voting for the National Assembly and 49 percent in the second round, but it won over 60 percent of the seats. Thus, even though the majority of French voters did not vote for this coalition, it was able to secure a comfortable parliamentary majority. Likewise, as suggested in the discussion about the National Front, this party's share of seats is much lower than its share of votes. Compare the British and French results to those in Table 4.5 from Slovakia and (especially) Austria in Table 4.3 . Although the Slovak seat percentage does not correspond with the vote percentage (due to the "wasted votes" from parties that failed to cross the threshold), the results are still proportionally divided among the parties that won seats. There are no "skewed" results as with the Conservatives or LDP in the British case. For defenders of PR, this is an issue of fairness. How "fair" is it, they would assert, that a majority of voters in Britain voted against the Conservatives in 2019, but the Conservatives nonetheless won a majority of seats? From their perspective, the results of elections under PR more closely resemble the actual preferences of the voters. Advocates of PR would thus claim it is more "representative," and, unlike plurality systems, where it does not matter if a candidate wins by one vote or 100,000 votes and voters for losing candidates receive no representation, there are also far fewer "wasted votes." Moreover, because voters in two-party plurality systems have fewer meaningful choices, 44 it is alleged they are often unable to vote their true convictions, settling instead for the lesser of two evils. PR, then, in short, is more representative, offers more choices, and, it is also argued, results in higher voter turnout. What of the argument against coalitions and in favor of more moderate, two-party systems? True, sometimes coalitions are difficult to manage, but they require a more consensual form of politics, ensuring that the policies that are adopted have broad political support. Moreover, the expectation that parties will have to form coalitions with each other may lead to less adversarial politics. As for governability, the political scientist Arend Lijphart maintains that PR systems perform better in terms of economic performance and in minority and female representation. Additionally, although cabinets under PR may be less durable, the changes from government to government are less radical than under plurality systems, when one party tends to wholly displace the other. 45 As for small parties having too much power, one could say the same about factions or unelected interest groups in two-party systems. Geographic representation may sound nice in principle, but we know that parties can gerrymander districts, drawing lines in such a way that they can ensure their candidates will be elected by friendly electorates. Although this is often considered a problem in the United States, there are plenty of "rotten boroughs" in Great Britain that are so overwhelmingly oriented to one party that elections are essentially meaningless. Many of these points solicit rebuttals. Why should parliament reflect all the divisions in society? Might it be better to force the disparate elements of a country to transcend their differences and join larger, more moderate catch-all parties instead of offering separate parties for, example, Catalans or Northern Italians or women or communists or racists? True, PR may work well for prosperous Norway, Sweden, or Finland, but Lijphart does not discuss Weimar Germany (1919-1933) or the failed French Fourth Republic (1946-1958), which had a PR system and high levels of political polarization and instability. As for turnout, any number of factors can account for that aside from type of electoral system (meaning correlation does not mean causation), and gerrymandering can be thwarted if the drawing of districts is left to more neutral parties (e.g. courts or non-partisan commissions). How might one resolve these points? Obviously, one can compare cases and look and see which system is "better" on the basis of certain criteria. Another means may be to look and see who is clamoring for change, thereby revealing dissatisfaction with one system over another. France, for example, controversially switched to PR in 1986—albeit for only one election once the governing party calculated it would actually do better under the previous system. In Great Britain, the LDP has made electoral reform its top issue. After the LDP formed a coalition with the Conservatives in 2010, it was able to put the idea of moving to an alternative vote system—already used to elect the mayor of London—to voters in 2011. As noted in the text, this failed, but whether it was because Britons truly like the SMDP system or because they found alternative vote too confusing is difficult to say. However, proving perhaps that the grass is always greener on the other side, the Italians in 1993 switched from a pure PR system to a mixed system that was primarily (75 percent) based upon district voting. This was done with the goal to eliminate smaller parties and introduce some rare stability into Italian politics. Alas, neither happened, and as regional parties such as the Lega Nord benefited from district voting, Italian politics became arguably even more polarized. In 2006, Italy returned to a pure PR system, resulting in a nine-party coalition government. In 2017, Italy opted (again) for a mixed system, this time with only 37 percent of the seats selected by SMDP. In this case, one is tempted to suggest that the issue may be Italy itself, not a particular voting system. Interestingly, the newer democracies in Europe have adopted a PR system or, as in the case of Hungary, a mixed system. One could muster this as evidence that institutional designers in these countries concluded that PR is better or more democratic, but as increasingly authoritarian Russia abandoned a mixed system in favor of pure PR in 2005, one might make the simple observation that choice of electoral system is not the decisive factor in judging the quality of democracy. Both systems can work, and both offer a version of democracy. Echoing Ken Gladdish, one might simply argue that the advantages of one system over the other hinges upon the particular circumstances (e.g. cleavage structures, economic stability) in a given country. " Kubicek, Paul. European Politics (p. 136-38). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

German Party Competition

"Unidimensional" or "triangular" [TRIANGULAR ALONG THE LINES THAT COALITIONS FORM] 1980s - balance upset Bases for common good + Class: CDU & FDP (vs) SPD + Religion: CDU (vs) SPD and FDP + Welfare State: SPD & CDU (vs) FDP Ability for both parties to come together on certain issues, unlike two-party systems Not simply Left vs Right But in the 90s, this triangular balance becomes upset as the Greens rise to power, providing an alternative kingmaker Not just western Germany either, eastern Germany included So balance upset by: + Emergency of green party + 1990s reunification + Volatility due to lack of partisanship the the east + Fragmentation of the system (rise of smaller communist parties) + Regional dynamics - SPD in the West, FDP in the east, rise of PDS/Die Linke New issues (related to reunification) + Religion + EU + Immigration + NATO Today: Six key parties: CDU, SPD, FDP, Greens, Left Party, and AfD With a split parliament, an unprecedented three way coalition will likely be needed to lead Germany 2010s - balance further upset: AfD rising 2017: third largest party Very strong along east border in response to immigration Not so much in 2021 - no longer 3rd largest AfD is German Nationalist, Eurosceptic, right wing, traditional

What are the three roles of political parties

(1) Parties in electorate (as organizations and in government) + Simplify voter choices + Parties reduce policy uncertainty + + Give voters basic ideas of what people in certain parties want, policy-wise (2) Parties as organizations + Parties: "aggregate interests" + Parties: organizations made of members Members: -Pay dues -Accept principles [powers within parties - key battle sites] + Manifesto and Programs + + Promises that get into programs (promises to voters) + Select leaders + + By parliamentary group (Netherlands) - most restrictive [difficult to get new ideas in] + + + + Groups select leader themselves + + By party convention (Germany) [middle] + + By membership vote (UK) [expansive - pay dues to govt to vote for leader] + Candidate selection (3) Parties in government [Critical role AND NEED in government] + Solve collective action problems + + In government: [The party] In government: responsibility for (in)action ++ [The party] In opposition: offer alternatives [group has to make a decision - need majority or leadership in group to structure preferences, and once preferences are structured (coming out in favor of xyz), then the others in the party can fall in line. Structuring solves collective action problems] All of these illustrate why the Party is so much more powerful in Europe than in USA

In a culture that trusts the individual

(Anglo-American, German, Latin, Scandinavian [in order from most to least trusting])

In a culture that trusts government

(Scandinavian, Latin, German, Anglo-American [in order from most to least trusting]) will make them more likely, for example, to entrust the government to run a welfare state

FOR TEST: views on EU 1960s-90s

+ EU seen as international + Idea of permissive consensus -- Just going along with leadership; not too concerned about things far away 1990s come along and international becomes domestic because of referendums on currency, constitution, military Huge majorities said no to Europe Referendums as watershed events Politicians realizing that people really don't agree with them Is now reshaping entire political system in Europe

Michels: the modern party as a fighting organization

1.) Facility of mobilization (party and followers must be the hands of the leadership, enacting and putting in motion its will) 2.) Heirarchy "democracy is not for home consumption, but is rather an article made for export... democracy is incompatible with strategic promptness" Party life and military life/language are closely related

Immigrants now account for more than __ %of the population in these Britain, France, and Germany, and as much as a quarter of the workforce in some cities.

10 percent

In 1991, 97% of easterners had expectation that standards of living would be equal to the west (high hopes). In 2009, only __% said living standards are now equal

12%

Potential bonus question: n the Netherlands, __ different parties now sit in parliament.

19

How many seats did the SPD have in the Bundestag

192

There is some evidence from the International Social Survey Program (ISSP) time series and other polls that public concern for the environment peaked around the mid-___and has declined since then.

1980s

In the government simulation, how many positions in the portfolio did the AFD claim?

2

In the government simulation, how many positions in the portfolio did the FDP claim?

4

Potential bonus question: In Italy, __ parties ranging from centre-left to far-right hover around the 20% mark.

4

In 1953, __% of West Germans thought democracy was the best form of government

55

How many seats did Die Linke have in the Bundestag

57

In the 1983 elections (Britain), the Conservative party won 42% of the vote, but got __% of the seats and no longer had to ___. SPD received 25% of the vote, but only __% of the seats

61% || form a coalition || 4%

In the government simulation, how many positions in the portfolio did the CDU claim?

8

In 1976, __% of West Germans thought democracy was the best form of government

90

How many seats did the Greens have in the Bundestag

99

What were the primary reasons that Germany's most recent election was called "surprisingly European"

A fractured vote (not just centre-left and centre-right anymore) A big age divide (fringe parties are better at causing a racket than winning power) Long coalition talks ahead (like the Dutch, Belgian and Nordic countries)

In the government simulation, who had 56 seats in the Bundestag

AFD

In the government simulation, who had Health in the portfolio?

AFD

In the government simulation, who had the Interior in the portfolio?

AFD

The populists in Germany are the

AFD

Party Politics in Germany

As much distinguishment between left and right as authoritarianism and libertarianism The Federal Republic - three key parties CDU, SPD, FDP [triangular model, different ways parties come together]

Left and Right exist along a *single* dimension. What is a more accurate way to think of policy space?

As multi-dimensional, delineated by several social or *political cleavages*

Mixed Member Systems (best of both worlds?) [German example]

Began with 1949 electoral law [to prevent similar rise like Hitler's] + 60% of MPs from SMD in single-seat constituencies + 40% by PR closed list. Largest remainder, and threshold of 1 SMP [single-member plurality] seat or 5% of vote in any one Land 1950s Reforms + 2 votes: 1 got constituency MPs, 1 for list MPs (members of parliament) + 50% list MPs, 50% constituency MPs + Threshold of 5% of vote of entire Federation (country), 3 constituency seats (three districts) - Allows voters to have personal connections with MPs + + Issue: Not too many people to know who to contact for complaits/voice in PR + + + Mixed systems strengthen electoral connection; doesn't feel so far away + + + More personalization [not always a bad thing, can be very good in moderation] + + + On German ballot, you see the party and the names under it in the first vote + + + In the second vote (proportional) you see the party and more names. More names than the first vote . Second vote emphasizes party rather than person + + + Parties can decide not to run anyone on the first side, if they want, so to not take votes away from other parties and focus instead on proportional seat

How might some unions be organized?

By occupation (blue collar, white collar, export, domestic)

In the government simulation, who had Defense in the portfolio?

CDU

In the government simulation, who had Digital Infrastructure in the portfolio?

CDU

In the government simulation, who had Econ Cooperation and Development in the portfolio?

CDU

In the government simulation, who had Economics and Energy in the portfolio?

CDU

In the government simulation, who had Environment in the portfolio?

CDU

In the government simulation, who had Family Affairs in the portfolio?

CDU

In the government simulation, who had Justice in the portfolio?

CDU

Party competition with class in Germany

CDU & FDP against the SPD

Party competition with religion in Germany

CDU against the SPD & FDP

In the government simulation, who had 191 seats in the Bundestag

CDU/CSU

In the government simulation, who had the Chancellor in the portfolio?

CDU/CSU

In the government simulation, which coalition won? How many seats did they have total?

CDU/CSU + AFD + FDP || 361

Clause IV moment - 1995

Clause IV was in Labor's Constitution since 1918- said Labor's purpose was to secure for the workers by hand or by brain the full fruits of their industry by equitable distribution [public ownership + means of production] The party's decision to remove the sentence above - gives up on Socialism and becomes more moderate - no longer a party of solely the working class. Labor loses working class identity Modernizes party and helps them win two years later and stick around for 13 years

The funnel of causality

Cleavages: economic structure, social divisions, and historical patterns ----> group identity, value orientations, group identity ----> party attachment | [government action, and influence of friends interact here] ---> issue opinions, candidate image | [campaign activity and media influence interact here] ----> economic conditions, political conditions---> vote

Current events

Climate Summit - Europe most serious about climate change, China not even at the conference, variation within EU (malcontents in Eastern Europe- coal and gas dependents). Significant because there's no one besides EU who will lead on climate change

__ politician no longer run the European continent

Conservative

Political consequences of value change (from material to postmaterial)

Decline in party-identification (less blind loyalty to parties) Decline in voter turnout (more likely to get involved in direct action) Increase in social movements Increase in issue opinions and issue publics

The vices of the Single Member District System

Doesn't give small parties a chance Distortion More wasted votes

Cultural change in the east (summary)

East Germans have accepted West German politics East German attitudes are contingent on performance (the economy) East Germans feel like second class citizens

Communists ruled in __ during the Cold War years

Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union

What has been called "the most manipulative instrument of politics"?

Electoral systems

Potential essay question: In what ways do politicians manipulate outcomes

Electoral thresholds Proportionality in PR systems * Gerrymandering District magnitude How does the district magnitude affect personalization of politics? One or two-round system (constructs competition) Think about differences between more and less proportional systems Benefits and drawbacks to degree of proportionality

_____ is frequently cited as another example of the new politics of affluent democracies.

Environmental quality

Where are there more political parties? In the USA or Europe

Europe

In what way(s) did German politicians struggle with the same problems as their peers across the continent, and German voters behave the same way as their neighbors?

Europe was invisible in the campaign. But it is visible in the outcome. (Meaning that the EU and Germany's place in Europe was not party of parties' campaigns, but the outcome of the election draws attention to those no matter what now)

Another big issue opinion is

European integration

In the government simulation, who had 114 seats in the Bundestag

FDP

In the government simulation, who had Agriculture in the portfolio?

FDP

In the government simulation, who had Education in the portfolio?

FDP

In the government simulation, who had Labor and Social Affairs in the portfolio?

FDP

In the government simulation, who had the Finance Ministry in the portfolio?

FDP

How might culture change? The German example

First: Nazis - attempt at total change, but mostly failed because top-down change is difficult [top down change doesn't work as well] [must be gradual, bottom up, non-shock therapy] West Germany 1945-1990: democracy reestablished (how) +Marshall plan [top-down] + EEC [top-down] But there was enough bottom-up pressures to support this change + Econ growth and stability + Democracy did not = instability + 1950s-60s^ so people bought into democratic system Eastern Germany 1990, onward + Less successful in getting countries to adopt democratic political culture + Problem was comparison to West Germany + There wasn't a lot of independent stability and investment + AFD and Die Linke do best here

In Germany's 2021 election, how many parties got more than 10% of the vote?

Five parties

Who's responsible for the scarcity and socialization hypotheses of cultural change?

Inglehart

Labour Party in Britain

Initially mobilized to promote the working class Many clashes with unions (initially needed union support, but manufacturing, coal, steal influence has gone down) [1970s] - demands of unions were much stronger than party could handle/fix - made it difficult for Labour 1976 - 77 failed "social contract" -> 1978 - 79 "winter of discontent" + Social contract - failure to bring Labor and Business together in coordinated bargaining leads to winter of discontent + In WoD- Labor falls out of favor and conservatives veer towards free market and Thatcherism + Labour loses in 1979 + 1979-1997 - Labor shut off from all policy for 17 years + + Britain so centralized that if you're not the main party, you can be completely shut out + + Bounces around on Left Right divide (see below) + Opposition strategy: veer left, then slowly moderate after 1987 + Clause IV moment - 1995 + + Clause IV was in Labor's Constitution since 1918- said Labor's purpose was to secure for the workers by hand or by brain the full fruits of their industry by equitable distribution [public ownership + means of production] + + The party's decision to remove the sentence above - gives up on Socialism and becomes more moderate - no longer a party of solely the working class. Labor loses working class identity + + Modernizes party and helps them win two years later and stick around for 13 years

Vices of a Proportional Representation System

More complex

The virtues of a Proportional Representation System

More fair More representative More parties More personalization Candidates have incentive to get every vote, not just enough to pass by (makes politicians work harder [In USA, states could be simply assigned x number of votes, no more districts, and seats are assigned based on proportion of votes - gets rid of gerrymandering]

The virtues of the Single Member District System

More simplistic / easier [higher turnout]

Summary of three roles of parties

Parties in Electorate In decline [people belong to parties, but not really; people no longer paying dues to parties, people no longer need parties, more educated. Working class may need parties though] Parties as organizations Complex changes [increase in new parties because of discontent with mainstream] 1.) fewer members 2.) less elitist 3.) more democracy Parties in government No decline (mainstream and supposed to represent x interests, but they have been losing touch)

How do List Systems work?

Parties provide lists + For example: Christian Democrats provide a list of names to vote for: five seats, five names + ORDER MATTERS

__ emerged as a powerful electoral force after WWII

Social Democrats

__ were historically a crucial ally, supplying funds, reliable voters, and party officials, and solidifying the identity of __s, at least in historical terms, as the party of the working class.

Social Democrats

Other parties in Britain

Stuck in the middle: Liberal Democrats (most pro EU, European party) 1980s merger of liberals and social democrats Regional Parties: Scottish nationalist (formidable), plaid cymru, democratic unionists, sinn fein [irish nationalists] vs DUP [loyalists] Splintering system In Ireland, more of a focus on economy now than in Troubles bc of trade. Results of 2019 election No Labor whatsoever in Scotland Most country is Tory

The conflict in __ stimulated a large migration wave in 2015, with more than a million migrants and asylum-seekers moving to Germany.

Syria

The division between Left and Right dates back to

The French Revolution

In the 90s, what upset the triangular party balance between the CDU SPD and FDP in Germany

The rise of the Green party, which provided an alternative kingmaker (primarily) BUT ALSO + Emergency of green party + 1990s reunification + Volatility due to lack of partisanship the the east + Fragmentation of the system (rise of smaller communist parties) + Regional dynamics - SPD in the West, FDP in the east, rise of PDS/Die Linke New issues (related to reunification) + Religion + EU + Immigration + NATO

Chapter 5: The two hypotheses which produce the general model for value change

The scarcity and socialization hypotheses

European political culture "as an explanation" [of why it is different than other nations]

Tocqueville observed that in America, people were into forming associations, groups, councils that were aided by individuality, freedom, and voluntarism, and direct action that didn't exist in Europe (more communitarian, less freedom, more reliance on strong state) Recently, Kagan- Americans more militaristic and independent, Europeans more diplomatic (because they already had to work with one another- this is also why Europeans are more likely to give up some of their sovereignty to form the EU)

When Angela Merkel came to power in 2005, only __ parties got more than 10% of the vote.

Two (cdu/csu and spd won 70% of the vote.)

Plurality vs Preferential vs Two-Round systems - does it matter?

With the same number of votes, you can get a different outcome depending on the system used.

If culture is an explanation for similarities between nations, can culture change?

Yes

If your preferences went: 1. LibDems (smaller) 2. Labor (larger) 3. Conservatives (larger) in a situation that required strategic voting, and you did not want the conservatives to win, who would you vote for?

You would vote for Labor because Labor is more likely to actually win in your district. Conservatives more likely to win in that district now bc LibDems weaken Labor power

social partnership

a feature of a corporatist system, these are bargains among unions, employers, and government designed to foster growth, employment, and peaceful labor relations.

alternative vote

a form of ranked-choice voting in single-member constituencies in which voters rank-order candidates, and second-and third-choices from voters of losing candidates are considered until one candidate receives a majority of votes; used in Australia and Ireland but rejected by voters in Great Britain in 2011.

interest mediation for unions can be based on pluralism, meaning ___

a number of different unions and other interest groups jockey for power and influence over policy-making.

Why do political cleavages exist?

a particular voter at a particular point in time, one or more of these other cleavages may matter more than the class/economic one.

unicameralism

a system with only one parliamentary (legislative) body.

bicameralism

a system with two parliamentary bodies.

Social Democrats

term used to refer to a variety of parties on the left that have traditionally embraced a strong role for government in the economy and generous welfare policies.

In 1990 East Germany, there was mass resource movement from the West to the East (100 billion, and then 100 billion more), but -

the "wall" still exists, and even though there's more investments, the economic engines are not there

After decades of silent conflict during the Cold War, the collapse of ___ dramatically reshaped the international order

the Soviet Union

Debates on the role of government seem to ebb and flow with

the condition of the economy and social needs.

Cosmoplitanism

the degree to which a person is interested in the wider world and sees him-or herself as part of a wider community outside of his or her own country; usually associated with the political left. (cleavage with nationalism)

interpersonal trust

the degree to which one trusts fellow citizens, often linked to development of associational life and democracy.

political efficacy

the feeling that one is capable of participating effectively in political life.

electoral threshold

the minimum percentage of votes necessary to win seats in a proportional representation system; varies from country to country.

Scandinavian culture family (Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden) -

the most collectivist

Anglo-American culture family (Australia, NZ, Canada, Ireland, UK, US) -

the most individualistic

Michel's Iron Law of Oligarchy

the propensity of any organization, even those committed to democracy, to produce bureaucratic, elite leaders, who, by virtue of control over finances and information, tend to gain control of the organization and use it to promote their own interests. 8 Rather than serving as democratic vehicles, many parties become corrupt, or at least are perceived to be so, using their power in government to dispense patronage (e.g. jobs, government contracts, access to public housing) to their supporters. Shorter definition: idea that all organizations will produce bureaucratic, elite leaders who tend to gain control of an organization and thereby limit internal democracy.

Issue opinions

the translation of broad value orientations into specific political concerns

political legitimacy

the voluntary acceptance of the validity of a country's political system by its citizens.

Liberal positions on social issues are more common among social groups at the vanguard of cultural change:

the young, the better educated, and those with postmaterial values

How are parties different from an interest group?

they don't just represent a single interest, they represent people with the intention of being placed in office

What do political parties do in Europe?

they select a strong candidate as the face of the party so they have someone to add to the strength of the party. You get cookie-cutter, pleasantly boring people running for office.

nationalists

those who are suspicious of the outside world and tend to put priority on the interests of their particular country; usually associated with the political right.

What triggered the growth of trade unions?

throughout much of the twentieth century Europe became more and more industrialized and more and more individuals left farms and joined the industrial "working class." Post-war reconstruction bolstered the positions of trade unions in many states, and unions dwarfed all other interest groups, at least in terms of membership.

With the socialization hypothesis, effects should occur with a __ __

time lag

Democracy requires

trust

two-ballot plurality system

used in France, it requires a run-off election under plurality rules if no candidate in a given district receives a majority of the vote in the first round of voting.

personalized proportional representation

used in Germany, whereby half the seats are determined by votes for a candidate in a district and half the seats are determined by nation-wide proportional representation; voters therefore vote twice in each election, once for a candidate, once for a party.

single-member district plurality system (SMDP)

used in Great Britain, a plurality system in which the country is divided into districts and voters choose one representative per district; winner-take-all system.

single transferable vote (STV)

used in Ireland and Malta, a complex form of PR in which voters rank-order candidates, winning candidates must win a certain threshold of votes, and votes for losing candidates may be transferred to others.

proportional representation

voting system in which voters typically vote parties and parliamentary seats are divided based on the proportion of votes each party receives.

plurality systems

voting system in which voters vote for candidates and whichever candidate gets the most votes wins.

Organization is the weapon of the __ in their struggle with the __

weak || strong

Only __________ are consistently identified as candidates for budget cuts.

welfare, the space program, and foreign aid

Even though Germany may be Europe's hegemon (most powerful country in Europe), yet foreign affairs and the future of the eu (were or were barely mentioned)

were barely mentioned

Strategic voting

when a voter supports another candidate more strongly than their sincere preference in order to prevent an undesirable outcome

Michels argues that

with the advance of organization, democracy tends to decline, and as parties come to power over states, this effect is made more obvious, as parties inherently devolve into hierarchy. Where an organization is stronger, there is a lesser degree of applied democracy (extreme hierarchical bureaucracy). Strong organizations need strong leadership, which is also counter to the principles of direct democracy, in which all members of a party are equal. Individual leaders are inherently flawed and represent their own interests. Individual leaders cannot truly speak for the whole will of the masses. When organized masses select these leaders, they are doing nothing but selecting a new set of masters.

Like other parties in Europe right now, the CDU/CSU is seeing some of their __ election outcomes ever

worst

On a closed list

you see only the party and not the person

Parties now stand for ___ or ___ as much as left or right.

young or old

In Italy the far-right Lega and Brothers of Italy also rely on __

youthful voters

Single member districts (because there's one district, one seat) create

aggregated distortion

What is a political party?

an organization combining office holders with other members with the primary goal of public office

Which factors have negatively affected trade unions?

anti-union governments (most notoriously Margaret Thatcher's in Great Britain [1979-1990]), privatization of state-owned industries, the decline of blue-collar manufacturing enterprises, shifts in the nature of work to provision of services and more part-time work, and global pressures on European businesses to cut costs.

Lists contain

as many candidates as seats

interest groups

associations of individuals, united around a common goal, that organize and express needs or demands to decision-makers.

Most people belong to ___ issue public

at least one

Perhaps the best way to compare tolerance of racial/ethnic diversity across nations is to focus on

attitudes toward immigrants

Political culture is the

basic values, attitudes, and orientations which are held communally and form the bases for political behavior.

political tolerance

belief that respects the views and rights of others, even those with whom you disagree or do not identify; considered important for democratic government.

In a list system, if you lower the quota, ____

bigger parties do better, smaller parties do worse

Latin culture family (France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain) -

centralized states aids expansion but culture of distrust impedes expansion

In Germany, after a decade of losing ground, the __ has begun to rise again

centre-left Additional info: Led by Olaf Scholz, the spd's prospective chancellor, who ran a cautious campaign based on competence, with enough radicalism to stop his party's left from leaving for the Greens. It resulted in his party's third-lowest postwar vote share, but paved a likely path to power.

In the late 1990s ___ were dominant across Europe. Their pitch was usually some variant of: "Things can only get better." Now it is more like: "Things might not get worse."

centre-left parties

At the start of the 2010s, practically every big eu country had a ___ government. Now, barring extremely canny negotiations from the cdu, none will.

centre-right

Revolutionary change in values has altered the nature of

citizen politics

A gradual liberalization of political values on social issues can ___ with a conservative tilt on socioeconomic matters.

coexist

Elections are

competing issue programs

European politics is an increasingly ___ (and increasingly ___) beast.

complex || Belgian

Fractured politics mean

complicated coalition talks Germany is used to haggling between two parties. This time three will be necessary and negotiations could dragon. In a first for Germany, the Greens and the fdp (who came third and fourth) pledged to agree to terms with each other before negotiating with spd or cdu/csu.

Electoral systems favor parties that can

concentrate themselves in certain districts

social movement

conscious, collective, organized attempt to bring about or resist large-scale change in the social order by non-institutionalized means.

1980s

conservatism

Americans are generally more ___ than Europeans on social and moral issues.

conservative

There has been a ___ shift on many the socioeconomic issues.

conservative

Germany resembled the EU ___

constitutionally

Organization acts like a

corporation

Trump's unexpected electoral victory in the United States can at least partially be attributed to

criticism of big government

Issues positions are influenced by

cues from political elites, the flow of political events, and the specific political context.

The danger with organization lies in the fact that it may become

dangerously undemocratic

"The practical ideal of democracy consists in the self-governance of the masses in conformity with the ___"

decisions of popular assemblies

Parties in the electorate are in ___

decline Party membership in decline People relying less on parties to help them Trust in parties is small

There is an idea that if new, postmaterial values bloom only in the sunshine, there should be a marked __ in postmaterial values after 2008

decline -however, studies show that these values were virtually unchanged in the US, Britain, and Germany

dealignment

declining attachment to and increasing distrust of established political parties.

In Europe and the US, there are __ religious values

decreasing

Democracy requires __, and thus direct-democracy is a non-possibility

delegation

In which elections are two-round systems most common?

directly elected presidential elections, such as Austria, France, Finland and Portugal

France, Marine Le Pen's base is the ___

discontented young.

In post WWII Germany, most Germans were. This changes over time.

distrustful

political cleavages

divisions within a society that acquire political importance and become political markers that divide supporters of one party from those of another.

The policy goals of Americans [do/do not] differ systematically from of most Europeans because of contrasting historical forces and political cultures.

do (to an extent)

Electoral volatility

dynamics in a party system, usually conceptualized as changes in votes for existing parties or the disappearance/emergence of parties.

In Western Europe, Communist parties __

emerged as the largest parties immediately after World War II in both France and Italy, although in both states they were unable to capture a majority of the votes and form the government.

Over the past several decades, the political agenda has expanded to include new "cultural issues" such as

environmental, social equality, immigration, and the role of women.

While some might view unions as primarily economic organizations—concerned first and foremost with wages and working conditions—they were and are often __

explicitly political

The populists in Britain are the

far right

The 2008 recession stimulated new debates, between those who ________ in response to the economic downturn.

favored economic stimulus packages versus austerity policies

German culture family (Austria, Germany, Switzerland) -

federalist approach puts break on expansion, but corporatism aids expansion

In Europe and the US, there is a __ in tolerance for homosexuality and same-sex marriages (though some also view it as a threat, which leads to a social cleavage)

increase

Culture change can be driven by

institutional change and economic change

The other side of foreign policy is

international cooperation

Immigration is an

issue opinion In Germany -guest workers are 25% of manual labor force -can lead to people viewing immigrants as a scapegoat during labor shortages

___ identify the public's preferences for government action and their expectations for the political process

issue opinions

Political parties distinguish themselves with their ___

issue positions

In Italy and France, populist, anti-immigrant, and nationalist parties regularly win

large portions of the vote

After 2008, the French government shifted to the

left

The Europe issue cuts across the ___ divide

left-right it's unclear

East Germans had higher opinion of socialism, though class was more real, and thought Germany was not as open of a society where education and ability actually counted for something. This indicates

less of a belief in democratic norms than the west

Delegate model:

less optimistic

One apparent trend has been the shift toward what might be termed ___ attitudes. Paralleling these changes is a decline in respect for________

libertarian ||| authority and concern about social order.

Culture is

macro (more stable)

Scarcity supposedly breeds __ concerns

materialist

Americans tend to be more

materialist (economic growth, stable economy, and crime prevention, strong defense)

__ typically give greater weight to maintaining a sense of community and a more ordered society

materialists

Values are

meso (change more frequently)

Value change is an essential part of the __ process

modernization

__ disrupts traditional social patterns and displaces some parts of society as others benefit

modernization

The 2021 German election result will lead to

months of coalition talks

In Europe, people perceive there being __ foreign born people than there actually are, so politicians can play on this

more

contemporary publics are broadening their perspectives and thinking about foreign policy in

more cooperative and international terms

Trustee viewpoint

more optimistic

The best predictor of public values should be

national conditions a generation early when the average citizen's values were forming (socialization hypothesis)

How does a candidate win in a two-round system?

number of districts = number of seats 1.) secures a majority after first round 2.) majority after second round run-off

In a Preferential system, how do you determine the number of seats? How do you determine the winning candidate?

number of districts = number of seats By majority In plurality, 50% + 1 of the first preferences or Majority AFTER the distribution of preferences

In a Plurality system, how do you determine the number of seats? What is the district magnitude? Is a majority required to win? What is an election's focus on?

number of districts = number of seats District magnitude = 1 A majority is not required Focus is on the candidate

Conversely, conservative positions are more common among

older citizens, the less educated, and more religious individuals

Democracy provides no guarantee against the formation of

oligarchal camarilla Additional: and the masses are always subject to the influence of particularly eloquent and creative people (good speakers). Once a crowd has set ideals, it can be very difficult for them to separate from those ideas, and they may turn hostile towards a minority group The individual disappears in the multitude Direct democracies still will inherently require intermediaries (to work in government and enact changes), which is non-democratic Political parties are inherently hierarchal as well, which is non-democratic (direct) It is also impossible to have all people collectively evaluating something all at once, as individuals too (can't have 30 million people investigating one crime and then voting on it, for example)

The party is that ___ because it is given a direct voice, not the working class, as a whole

oligarchal group

How can one differentiate between parties?

one can classify them and place them into "families" based upon common origins and/or similarities in their present-day ideologies, worldviews, or policy recommendations. In the broadest terms, one can speak of parties of the Left and parties of the Right

How are seats determined in multi-member districts? What does this mean for their district magnitude?

one district, multiple seats Their district magnitudes are GREATER than 1

Democracy is inconceivable without

organization

__ is the only means for the creation of a collective will

organization

post-materialism

orientations that focus more on quality of life issues, such as rights and political participation, than economic or security concerns.

when one discusses specific potential sources of conflict or the use of military force, the patterns between Americans and Europeans often tend to

overlap rather than being distinct.

interest organizations that often rely upon people to __ __ in order to hire a professional staff to do the work of the group.

pay dues

With the socialization hypothesis, people's values should __ over time, even if social conditions have improved drastically

persist

What was the most important element of the Government formation simulation

policy compromises and communication

Left

political orientation that tends to appeal to those from lower classes and minorities and is more secular and cosmopolitan in outlook.

Right

political orientation that tends to appeal to upper classes, is often concerned with preserving traditions, and frequently puts priority on religion and/or nationalism.

Values change affects __ __

political participation (postmaterialist - more linkely to participate in citizen initiateives, protests, and other forms of direct action, rather than voting)

In almost any rich, western eu country and one will find a ___ party polling between 10% and 20%, offering a cocktail of immigrant- and Brussels-bashing. Germany, again, fits the norm.

populist

Trends show a general shift toward __ values for a large set of affluent democracies

postmaterial

The affluence in established democracies should supposedly increase support for __ goals

postmaterialist

The better educated are more __ in all four core nations

postmaterialist

There is a theory that the percentages of __ should increase over time, as older materialist generations are replaced by younger generations

postmterialists

secularization

process by which religion loses its cultural, political, and social significance.

political socialization

process through which an individual acquires information, attitudes, and orientations about political life.

For small parties, path to power rests in

proportional system

party list

rank-order list of a party's candidates for office; used in a proportional representation system to determine which individuals will end up serving in parliament.

Many skeptics argue that support for new quality of life and self-expressive values will fade if ___

real economic problems emerge

In America, what do political parties do?

reduce fragmentation - cuts out smaller candidates who might split vote, limits democratic options

Despite the affluence, high mobility rates, and social diversity of its citizens, the United States is among the most ___ of Western societies

religious

The active interest groups on social issues are normally ____, not labor unions and business groups.

religious organizations and Christian Democratic parties

The centre-left in Germany, after beating the CDU/CSU is unfortunately going to have to rely on

rickety coalitions (unstable coalitions)

After 2008, the British government shifted to the

right

electoral systems

rules and mechanisms that determine how candidates or parties win elections

The __ hypothesis predicts that the socio-economic conditions of a nation are related to the priorities of its citizens

scarcity

Fragmentation

scatters the vote to random, smaller parties

In parliamentary systems, power equals

seats

political culture

set of attitudes, beliefs, and sentiments that provide the basic assumptions and rules that govern political behavior.

Parties may ___ to constrain third party influence and minimize strategic voting

shift platforms / make alliances

Similar cultures might give rise to

similar policies (or cultural similarities might produce similar policy-making dynamics)

social capital

skills and attitudes necessary to promote active citizenship and social networks.

American values

small government, free market, individualism

Other issue opinions can be on

social and moral issues

Higher education often reflects a family's __ __

social status

European values

social welfare states

The __ hypothesis predicts that values become set early in life

socialization

The success of any struggle hinges on

solidarity, between individuals whose interest are identical

European integration gets to the question of: what is Europe?

some say -democracy -diversity -free movement -passport free -peaceful but others say -more crime -loss of identity -more unemployment

Another way to gauge public expectations of government is to ask about

spending preferences in various policy areas

Distortion can have really adverse effects on parties whose strength is ___throughout the country, not ___

spread || concentrated

Because single member districts create aggregated distortion, this leads to

strategic voting

The greatest value shift occurs during the transition from a __ __ to an __ __, such as in contemporary Western Europe

subsistence economy || affluent society

pluralism

system of interest mediation in which a number of different interest groups compete for power and influence.

corporatism

system of interest mediation in which centralized, singular interest groups, such as a single trade union federation, work closely with the government to coordinate economic policy.

In the fall of 2016, for example, the EU's Euro barometer survey found that _____ were the first and second more salient issues to citizens in the European Union

immigration and terrorism

The ___ have the highest expectations of government- consistent with the ___ traditions of social solidarity and social protection guaranteed by government program

French

Potential bonus question: "An at times surreal campaign ended with Angela Merkel, the outgoing chancellor and most powerful person in Europe, being photographed with a ___ on her head."

parrot

Liberals

parties of the political center that combine a commitment to free markets ("conservative" liberalism) with a belief in social tolerance and individual rights. (social liberalism)

Conservatives

parties on the center-right that tend to emphasize free markets, "law and order" issues, and upholding traditions; they are often opposed to greater European integration.

Postmaterial values

Aesthetic and Intellectual -beautiful cities/nature -ideas count -free speech Belonging and esteem -less impersonal society -more say on job, community -more say on government

New cleavages (social dividing lines) which led to new parties in Europe

Agrarian cleavage Urban/rural Church/state - gives rise to Christian democrats [Postwar new parties - Green] Postmaterial/material Indication/Demarcation - Far Right

How do you distinguish social movements from involvement in interest groups and other forms of political participation?

Aim for something big an transformational Less interested in quotidian, discrete or more routine policy changes as a permanent, bureaucratic organization might be. Based upon and require active participation (marches, protests, sit-ins) Gain influence primarily through the power of social mobilization

___ won about 10% of the vote on a populist, anti immigrant, nationalist platform. (Germany)

Alternative for Germany (afd)

___ are not notably different from Europeans in supporting government spending on various government programs, despite their reservations about the scope of government

Americans

Populism appeals to

Anti-establishment Authoritarianism Nativism

Christian Democrats

parties on the center-right that tend to favor a mixed economy while making some appeals on the basis of traditional "value" issues.

Labour in Power (Britain) from 1997-2020

Form over substance Constitutional reforms + Devolution + Bank of England independence + End of voting for peers (in House of Lords) + Direct election of Mayor of London All of these indicate that they want reform to DIFFUSE power, so when they do lose again, they won't be so blocked out. Want MORE power centers. No longer hegemonic. Policy Initiatives + Courted business community, no restoration of union power, low public spending, reduce inflation + Back bench rebellions, cabinet resignations + + Because of the idea of the "norm of collective cabinet responsibility [all equals w prime minister]" BUT people are NOT agreeing with all these changes that Labor is making

Green Parties

Formation: 1970s and 1980s Reaction to: + Capitalism + + Too anonymising + Affluence + + Should care about more people/more issues Ideology: environment, sustainability, peace, gender equality, foreign aid, social justice Organization: grass-roots organization, non-hierarchical (opposite Michel's argument) - flat leadership + Non-hierarchical issue for Green party + + Lack of strong leadership + + Unclear who speaks for the party + + Hierarchies are good if you want to win election, so can't just be protest movement

Conservative

Formation: OLD - 19th Century Suffrage with: male landowners Ideology: national interests, law and order, private enterprise, ambiguous on EU Today: Christian Democrat equivalent In Britain: less of a divide on religious basis bc of Glorious Revolution - didn't need pro-religion conservatives

Extreme right

Formation: Recent - 1990s, increased support - over 6% of vote on average, near 15% in some places (DK, Neth) [small, rich, northern countries - particularly afraid of welfare state threat - don't want strain on their welfare system] Ideology: anti-immigration, anti-EU, anti-foreigners, and anti-establishment Targeted the working class by claiming that old parties are too elitist Examples: French National Front, Italian Northern League, Austrian Freedom Party, Danish People's Party, Dutch Freedom Party

Christian Democrats

Formation: late 19th Century, reaction to secularism Ideology: Conservative with religious values, support welfare state, social justice [not as common in US] Traditionally Catholic, now support from protestants

Social Democrats

Formation: late 19th century + Expansion of suffrage + Increase in industrial working class Ideology: egalitarianism, redistribution, regulation, pro-EU Post-1945 + Less radical + + Growth: (they won) the growth of the welfare state, which they had previously been fighting for + + Electoral necessity (need to be catch-all for more people, move away from radical roots) + + Post-1945: being in government = ideological compromise 1960s: prosperity + economic organization + + Working class size plateaus 1970s-80s: economic contraction [but working class movement is not re-radicalized, but they were blamed for these economic problems, and indoctrinated/influenced toward capitalist individualism] 1990s: march to the (center) right

Liberal Parties

Formation: old [19th century]- opposed to conservative and clerical parties (church/religious parties) Ideology: individuals rights, liberty, anti-statism, decentralization, anti-clerical

Communists

Formation: split from social democrats post 1917 (Bolshevik revolution) Ideology: - Initially: Revolutionary alternative - Today: "catch-all" alternative, Eurosceptic party [rebrand] Slightly more authoritarian

Party Politics in France

French politics second round winners is more Globalization (Macron) vs Anti-globalization, pro nationalism (Le Penn) Fourth Republic: 1946-58: a multiparty system (strong fracturing, very small parties) Fifth republic: 1958-present (create strong French presidency) Party system changes, 5th republic + Bipolarity + + Communists (strong) + Socialists (1960s) and Guallists (right) + Giscardiens (more liberal right) [four strong political parties] + + On the right, party names don't matter as much + + Why: 1.) electoral rules + + + + Two round electoral rule - all parties can get some support in 1st round, but in 2nd round collapse + + + + Creates bipolar Left v Right system + + + + 2.) Shift in partisan identities + + + + + + On the left- Communists shift to Socialists + + + + + + On the right: Gualists shift to Giscardiens Regularity (two party system) upended: by the Front National + "One million unemployed, one mullion immigrants too many" + Votes (1st round legislative) 2017 - 13% + + Threat to bipolarity + + Dilemma for center-right - threat to their numbers + + + + '95-2012 - Gualists, saw threat of Front National + + + + + + Dilemma: ignore or steal their issues? + + + + + + First, tried to ignore them calling them Nazis + + + + + + But then, ban religious symbols, which looks like Chiroc trying to take numbers from Front + + + + + + Next guy moves the party really to the right until 2021 + + + + + + Gualists have to move right or left ^ + + Solution: UMP, a coherent non-Socialist alternative + + + + First: union for a presidential majority + + + + Then: union for a popular movement + France and the Front National -claim that its immigrants taking people's jobs + + Jean-Marie Le Pen - founder and leader 72-2011 + + FN as defender of "free" France during the war + + Anti-semitic, Holocaust a "mere detail" + + Anti-communist + + Party base: small farmers and small shopkeepers (rural), evolved into the party of the unemployed steel worker Marine Le Pen - party leader, 2011-present + + Stategy: more democratic and republican, less nationalists The French Left -used to be a strong communist party, and is it fell, the more modern, moderate, managerial Socialist parry gained influence. -in 2002, there was fragmentation and leadership battles between Aubry and Royal and then Strauss-Kahn, and now Hollande. Disastrous leadership by Hollande. Leads to question of permanent control by center-right

After ___ in March 2010, Chancellor Merkel called for the closure of all nuclear facilities in Germany

Fukushima

What do patronage networks do

Generate money for campaigns Create jobs

Post WWII CDU

Heir to the Catholic center party during Weimar Now protestant appeals (especially in former eastern germany) Bavaria CSU more catholic and more conservative [North (more liberal) - South (more conservative) divide] Christian values emphasis (SPD amd FDP secularism) Merkel chancellor from 2005 - present - 4 election victories

Communists

parties on the far left that try to appeal mostly to urban, blue-collar workers and emphasize government ownership of industry and generous social welfare policies.

France's two round system

If one candidate gets majority ->Finished after round 1 If not candidate gets majority -> Go to round 2 Round 2 - lead to collusion among candidates and parties in the second round (work together to get majority) (1) + Presidential vote (2) + Majority-runoff version: 2nd highest vote-getters advance [highest two parties advance - usually leaves a sizable portion of the population disappointed 22% 20% 18% 10% etc -- only 22% and 20% advance -- all others have to vote for someone they didn't originally want] + + Guaranteed a majority + + 2nd round legislative vote (3) Majority-plurality version: some minimum % needed to advance + + Need 12.5% of registered votes (8 candidates maximum) + + Majority Round 2 outcome not guaranteed

Greens

parties on the left of the political spectrum that emphasize environmentalism as well as peaceful approaches to international relations and minority rights.

catch-all parties

parties whose platforms and programs try to appeal to the broadest range of voters.

____are the everyday currency of politics. ___ opinions identify the public's preferences for government action and their expectations for the political process.

Issues || Issue

Why join political parties?

Money, jobs, solidarity, purpose (goals / interests)

When asked why Germany does not take a bigger role in running the EU, Angela Merkel argued that it was ___ . Germany was already a delicate compromise between 16 different Länder (states),with a complicated relationship between its levels of government. German leadership was simply not feasible.

impossible, since Germany was too much like the eu.

Communist parties claim fealty to the ideas of what person?

Karl Marx (1818-1883)

Post WWII FDP

Kingmaker More important to german governments than Liberal Democrats are to British governments Hampered in recent decades by rise of other, smaller parties Ideology: conservative liberalism, individual rights, rol back of the state Secular opposition to Catholicism Kingmaker is so important 1945-1994 because you don't want grand coalition, where two largest parties have to compete with one another

How are seats allocated in a List System

Largest remainder (Round 1) + Quota system/method + Parties with votes > quota awarded seats + Subtract quota from # of votes received Largest remainder (Round 2) + If there are remainders, allocate seats to the largest remaining (largest winning) Highest average method + Party votes divided by a series of divisors in subsequent rounds + + Ex: Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden + Largest collective of # after all the divisors gets a seat + highest numbers on whole chart AFTER divisors + Increasing divisors will benefit larger parties

Post WWII SPD

Late 19th century - most radical and powerful socialist party in Europe Excluded from office after WWII - reaction against extremism (people thought party was too extreme 1959: 1st moderation lurch: Bad Godesberg Program [stepping down from Socialism, embracing market + capitalism] + Accept the market + Commitment to NATO + Endorsement of CDU's [Christian Democrats] policies Late 1990s: 2nd moderation lurch Schroder Die Neue Mitte: "A New Middle" Failed to win Chancellorship from 1982-1998, 2005, 20021 Junior partner [second to Merkel] in grand coalition, 2005-2009, 2013, 2021 + Issues because they can get lumped in with CDU Olaf Sholz + Finance minister in final Merkel government + So good that he said, if you want our economic condition to continue, vote for SPD over CDU + Seems like opposition, but actually isn't + Germany's next federal chancellor

What are the three multi-member districts

List PR Transferrable Vote Mixed Systems

Which states in the US have a similar preferential voting system

Maine, Alaska, and NY mayor

How do parties win elections?

Motivate and mobilize voters to go to the polls Stake out positions to attract members and sympathizers Develop programs to represent interests in a wide number of individuals (catch-all parties)

Party Politics in Britain

Much more simple than some other systems Largely two parties - Labor and Conservative Never any need to have coalition bargaining In recent years: proliferation of smaller parties Strong regional parties, which you don't see in Germany Used to be stable, two-party dominant, but these new parties and new issue divides (Brexit) are increasing volatility

Why do we have new parties today, but not in the past?

New social cleavages Some parties must rebrand or die (Communists and Fascists can't call themselves Communist or Fascist) Michel's argument: parties turn inward and fight for their own existences

_____ is an especially contentious environmental issue.

Nuclear power

Who is Germany's next federal chancellor

Olaf Sholz

___ keep the big-tent parties alive, both in Germany and across the eu.

Older voters

when does it make less sense to vote strategically

in preferential systems

What type of single member district system does the UK have

Plurality

What are the three types of Single Member District Systems

Plurality Preferential Vote Two-Round

Potential bonus question: In Spain younger voters swoon for challenger parties, such as

Podemos or Vox

The Europeanization of political parties [Long Reading]

Political parties are quintessentially national organizations, succeeding or failing on the basis of their ability to appeal to national-level voters. Even within party families, one finds significant differences in both style and substance among different national parties which reflect different national cultures, histories, and priorities. At the same time, however, as the power of the EU has grown and European countries face a host of common problems (e.g. immigration, pressures on the welfare state, globalization, reviving economies ravaged by the coronavirus) might one see greater convergence or coordination among political parties? In other words, are parties becoming "Europeanized," adapting to the demands, constraints, and opportunities of European integration? Evidence is mixed, and in many ways one could say that parties—as opposed to courts, parliaments, and executives—are the least Europeanized of all political institutions in Europe. True, as explained in Chapter 3 , political parties from various "families" form blocs within the European Parliament, where parties sit and caucus on a pan-European, not national, level. For example, most Conservative and Christian Democratic parties belong to the European Peoples' Party (EPP), most Social Democrats belong to the Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, and Greens belong to the Greens-European Free Alliance group. These umbrella organizations provide a means for different national political parties to consult with each other and forge common positions on European issues. However, these groups do not possess the party discipline of national parties, and MEPs (members of the European Parliament) are far more accountable to their national parties than any pan-European organization. Moreover, because elections to the European Parliament are conducted on a national level and contested by national parties, national-level issues (e.g. is the government popular? is unemployment falling? has there been a major corruption scandal?) often figure more than cross-national, European issues. Just as there is no "European" electorate, there are no "European"—as opposed to national—political parties. 33 Additionally, there is little to suggest that European issues have significantly changed the organizational structure of most European political parties. Surveys among parties reveal that there has been little structural adaptation to pan-European or EU concerns. Moreover, MEPs are not usually particularly influential within their respective political parties, which serves to minimize any sort of socialization effect one might hope is provided by work in the European Parliament. 34 This is not to suggest that party leaders are unaware of the need for more cooperation on the pan-European level. For example, in the 1990s Tony Blair and Gerhard Schröder, from the center-left and at that time leaders of Great Britain and Germany sponsored a series of high-level meetings to discuss the previously mentioned "Third Way." In 1999 they issued a manifesto ("Europe: The Third Way/The New Middle") on this concept, and subsequent meetings involved leaders from the political left in Sweden, Italy, the Netherlands, as well as Latin American and African countries. The aim was to fashion a common response among left-wing parties to social and economic challenges of globalization and how best to reform welfare states. Many, however, were skeptical that these efforts had any lasting impact, and some political parties (e.g. the French Socialist Party) clearly had little enthusiasm for the idea. 35 More recently, Angela Merkel, who has served as German Chancellor since 2005, tried to forge a common approach to European issues among center-right parties who dominate the EPP bloc in the European Parliament. While she found some backing, particularly with respect to the European debt crisis, from leaders in wealthy countries such as Finland and the Netherlands, this effort was hampered by the Euroskepticism pervasive in the British Conservative Party as well as different priorities of conservatives in debt-riddled countries such as Italy and Spain. Furthermore, one of the leading parties in the EPP is the FIDESZ party of Hungary's Viktor Orban, who has been the enfant terrible with respect to Europeanization and has openly clashed with Merkel on issues such as immigration. It is also worth noting that after the elections to the European Parliament, Manfred Weber, the Spitzenkandidat of the EPP for the post of President of the European Commission, was rejected by the state leaders in the European Council, clearly demonstrating the weaknesses of party coordination at the EU level. France's Emmanuel Macron, who like Merkel favors deeper European integration, clearly has ambitions to become a leading European statesman. Prior to the 2019 European Parliament elections, he wrote an open letter—published in all EU languages—calling for a European renewal in a clear effort to "Europeanize" the election. 36 Among his proposals is the idea that parties introduce transnational lists of candidates for elections to the European Parliament, allowing voters across the EU to vote for the same parties and leaders. This would clearly be a major step toward Europeanization. Macron, however, is not associated with a traditional political party (EnMarche is a member of the Renew Europe bloc of mostly pro-EU liberal parties in the European Parliament), and whether he carries any credibility beyond France is at best debatable. As one German political commentator noted, "He [Macron] and his ambitions are not on my ballot." 37 Furthermore, he (together, ironically, with Orban) was singled out in reports for the mini-fiasco over the failure of the Spitzenkandidat system, as Macron had previously spoken out against it on the grounds that candidates nominated in this fashion were not known to European voters. 38 Interestingly, such reports have suggested that Europeanization has advanced the most among the various Euroskeptic or Eurohostile nationalist-populist parties. For example, in 2019 leaders of such parties in Italy, France, Germany, Denmark, and Finland announced an alliance prior to the European Parliament elections and leaders from these parties attended a joint rally in Milan. 39 However, because these parties prioritize national-level actions and interests and generally disdain EU action, one can be skeptical if their efforts will amount to much besides condemnation of the EU. In short, it seems that Europe remains a long way from forging cross-party links that would be congruent with the notion of a single European polity. Kubicek, Paul. European Politics (p. 217). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

All politics is local, but in Germany it is parochial. (flip for meaning)

Politics are somewhat narrow and local, generally, but Germany is even more so. In Germany, politicians can be under extreme scrutiny for the smallest things, such as an allegation of plagiarism or even something as simple as the condiments they like to use on their sandwiches. Anything can be made political.

__ values are also changing authority patterns in society

Postmaterial -the new credo is that an individual earns authority, rather than having it bestowed by a position

when are you more likely to vote strategically

in single member district systems [or plurality]

single-issue parties

parties whose programs typically are restricted to a single or a very narrow set of issues.

Functions of political parties

Primary function: to contest elections and nominate candidates for public office. This distinguishes them from interest groups, who do not nominate candidates or seek formal governmental authority Second function: recruit and nominate candidates for office (loyal to party platform and top leadership, ensuring high degree of party discipline among elected officials) Third function: to win elections Fourth: provide input to policy makers and organize actions to influence state leaders

Party competition with the welfare state in Germany

SPD & CDU against the FDP

In 2021 (Germany) who won by a slim margin over the CDU/CSU

SPD (Social Democratic Party)

Current events

SPD + Greens + FDP potential coalition - focus on climate (issue between Greens and FDP because FDP is fiscally conservative) - "traffic light" coalition

Material values

Safety needs -strong defense forces -fight crime -maintain order Sustenance needs -stable economy -economic growth -fight rising prices

What are political parties good for?

Selecting candidates Allocating portfolios Setting agendas Patronage networks

Yellow Vest Movement

The Yellow Vest Movement ( Mouvement des gilets jaunes ) can be understood both as a classically French event and as a twenty-first-century social movement. On the one hand, it built upon a series of protests, since at least the 1990s, over issues such as changes to the labor law, globalization, wage demands, and rising costs of living, and also reflects the fact that France's centralized state makes public protest one of the few avenues through which people's voices can be heard. 82 On the other hand, the movement clearly reflected the populist ethos of the 2010s, a bottom-up movement against arrogant, aloof, or simply tone-deaf elites. Moreover, its genesis lay with a Facebook petition campaign launched earlier in 2018 by a complete political novice, a woman who runs Internet cosmetics business. And, like many of the Arab Spring protests of 2010-2011 or the Occupy Movement, it had no clear leadership. Eventually, eight spokespeople emerged, but even they disagreed among themselves. It is hard to classify the Yellow Vest Movement as politically left or right. Many of their demands, including an increase in the minimum wage, restoring a wealth tax, and making it easier to launch citizens referendums (as can be done in Switzerland), might strike one as more on the "left." At the same time, however, its rejection of the diesel tax, which Macron had proposed in part to reduce fossil fuel use, clearly did not ally them with a cause that is de rigeur on the left. The Yellow Vests also explicitly rejected cooperation with the trade unions, which they viewed as ineffective and too hierarchically structured. Most of those who joined the protests, unlike urban elites, had only a high school education, were working class, and lived in modest economic conditions. Public opinion surveys found that many in the movement had voted for the nationalist-populist Marine Le Pen (29 percent) or Jean-Luc Mélenchon on the far-left (17 percent), but many (27 percent) also did not vote. More than a few among the gilets jaunes carried signs with anti-Semitic slogans. Overtures by political leaders, including Le Pen, to cooperate with the movement were rebuffed, and efforts to turn it into a significant political force in time for May 2019 elections to the European Parliament were also not successful. In a sense, then, the movement was apolitical, as it rejected working within the system, but clearly its actions generated a political crisis. The Yellow Vest Movement did succeed in some of its core aims. Macron was forced to backtrack on the tax proposal, and he later agreed cut middle-class taxes, raise the minimum wage and provide more funding for local governments. He also embarked on a "listening tour," during which he was often grilled at public meetings for paying insufficient attention to the whole of France. Macron himself conceded his mistakes, claiming that the gilets jaunes were "very good for me" because they "reminded me of who I should be." 86 It is also worth noting that the movement inspired others across Europe, including in Belgium, Spain, Italy, Germany, Croatia, and Bulgaria, to don yellow and voice their complaints against their governments. One preliminary conclusion, however, is that the Yellow Vest Movement exposes multiple weaknesses in the French political system, including the gap between the elites and the wider public as well as the lack of confidence in existing parties and interest groups to channel popular demands. Indeed, one can think of the emergence both of Macron, who ran for president as an outsider unaffiliated with France's more-established political parties, and the Yellow Vests as a rejection of long-standing institutions. However, the fact that the Yellow Vests were essentially leaderless (which may also reflect elements of lack of social trust) hampered their ability to do more than organize protests. In the end, even though the Yellow Vests did inspire hundreds of thousands of people to take to the streets, in the bigger picture their actions may reflect, in the words of an editorial in Le Monde , "a social impasse...[that features] the muted resentment among some of the French who feel left out of the democratic game." Kubicek, Paul. European Politics (p. 275). Taylor and Francis. Kindle Edition.

What triggered the rise of political parties?

The expansion of suffrage and the introduction of democratic politics, first in the US in the early 1800s, and later in Europe in the late 1800s through early 1900s.

Paradox in issue opinions

There is an abstract support for racial equality and tolerance, but a fear over concrete problems too - such as people making connections between racial minorities and crime and jobs

As racial integration became accepted, the politics of race broadened to include a new set of issues-

affirmative action, government social programs, and equity standards

In a Single Transferrable Vote System

Vote for preferred candidate Votes are totaled & quota is derived If candidate achieves quota, he's elected Surplus votes transferred to other candidates in proportion to voters' stated preferences If more candidates than seats remain, the bottom candidate is eliminated. His/her votes are transferred to others as determined by voters' preferences Preferential vote + quota = single transferable vote system Ex: Ireland, plus some elections in Australia and New Zealand

Conservatives in Britain

Were in government from 1979 - 1997 : weakened unions,reduced size of the state, sold off public enterprises 1997 - 2010 - into the wilderness 2010 election: (bad idea) senior coalition partner (between LibDems [like FDP, but playing no role until 2010 in government because they prevented Labor and Conservatives from getting majority] and Conservatives) + Flat victory bc they have to share with LibDems until -> 2015 +: Prime Minister's party + Single party conservative, no more LibDems - still today also + To win, Cameron had to separate himself from LibDems + Issue because the LibDems were not Euroskeptics, and Euroskeptics in his parties had issues with him and LibDems. Coalition was damaging for Conservatives in the long run + Conservative Policies + + Private property + + Law and order + +Strong military + + Euro Skepticism Which split the party, as Cameron was more moderate and wanted to strengthen UK's relationship with Europe Cameron promises referendum to satisfy the Euroskeptics in his party BREXIT referendum By slim majority, Britain votes to leave EU 2017 Theresa May Then Boris Johnson - hard BREXIT Conservatives must figure out of they'll be more nationalist or more moderate

In strategic voting, you are voting ____

against candidate you like the least

traits such as ___ are much more important in identifying opinions on gender roles.

age, education, and religion

Residents from ___ expect more from their government

former East Germany

Cleavages lead to

fragmentation 21st century swinging back towards fragmentation Largest parties decades ago see shrinking vote-share now

Politics in Germany has __ in the past decade or so, just as in every other western European country.

fragmented

There is a new basis of cultural divisions aligned along

generational and educational lines

Greater district magnitude equals

greater proportionality

One of the most striking changes in the past several decades has been a

growing institutionalization of international cooperation and a globalization of economic systems.

Party families are groups of parties that

have shared ideological orientations

Most parties are

hierarchical, having national, regional, and local branches.

Duverger's Law

idea that the type of electoral system will help determine the number of political parties

Citizens are now critical of "big" government, but they also are accustomed to, and depend on, the policies of the modern state. This is widely described as the combination of ____

ideological conservatism and programmatic liberalism

More typically, however, unions are divided along __

ideological or party lines