chapter five interest aggregation and political parties copyright © 2012, 2010, 2008 pearson...

Chapter Five

Interest Aggregation and Political Parties

Copyright © 2012, 2010, 2008 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Personal Interest AggregationPersonal Interest Aggregation

The process by which political demands are combined into policy programs

How interests are aggregated is key feature of political process Democracies: two or more parties compete to gain

support for their alternative policy programs. Autocracies: ruling party may try to mobilize citizens’

support for its policies but it is covert and controlled Parties

The distinctive and defining goal of a political party - its mobilization of support for policies and candidates - is especially related to interest aggregation

The process by which political demands are combined into policy programs

How interests are aggregated is key feature of political process Democracies: two or more parties compete to gain

support for their alternative policy programs. Autocracies: ruling party may try to mobilize citizens’

support for its policies but it is covert and controlled Parties

The distinctive and defining goal of a political party - its mobilization of support for policies and candidates - is especially related to interest aggregation


Personal Interest AggregationPersonal Interest Aggregation Patron-Client Networks

System in which central authority figure provides benefits (patronage) to supporters in exchange for loyalty

Primitive structure out of which larger more complicated political structures are composed

With patron-client networks it is difficult to mobilize political resources behind unified policies or to respond to crises

Static system Structure runs through the political processes

of countries such as the Philippines, Japan, and India.

Patron-Client Networks System in which central authority figure

provides benefits (patronage) to supporters in exchange for loyalty

Primitive structure out of which larger more complicated political structures are composed

With patron-client networks it is difficult to mobilize political resources behind unified policies or to respond to crises

Static system Structure runs through the political processes

of countries such as the Philippines, Japan, and India.


Institutional Interest AggregationInstitutional Interest Aggregation

In developing societies: citizens become aware of larger collective

interests; have resources and skills to work for them

personal networks are regulated, limited, incorporated within broader organizations.

Institutional Groups: bureaucratic agencies and military groups

are important interest aggregators government agencies may be “captured” by

interest groups and used to support their demands.

In developing societies: citizens become aware of larger collective

interests; have resources and skills to work for them

personal networks are regulated, limited, incorporated within broader organizations.

Institutional Groups: bureaucratic agencies and military groups

are important interest aggregators government agencies may be “captured” by

interest groups and used to support their demands.


Competitive Party Systems and Interest AggregationCompetitive Party Systems and Interest Aggregation

Parties are primary structures of interest aggregation.

Political parties are groups or organizations that seek to place candidates in office under their label. competitive party system – build

electoral support authoritarian party system – parties

direct society

Parties are primary structures of interest aggregation.

Political parties are groups or organizations that seek to place candidates in office under their label. competitive party system – build

electoral support authoritarian party system – parties

direct society


Competitive Party Systems and Interest AggregationCompetitive Party Systems and Interest Aggregation

History and development of parties internally created parties externally created parties

Stable party families: Social Democrats, Conservatives, Christian Democrats, Nationalists, Liberals, etc.

Party systems of democratic countries show stability

Two-party systems are not exactly alike differences emerge due to various

factors, including electoral systems

History and development of parties internally created parties externally created parties

Stable party families: Social Democrats, Conservatives, Christian Democrats, Nationalists, Liberals, etc.

Party systems of democratic countries show stability

Two-party systems are not exactly alike differences emerge due to various

factors, including electoral systems


ElectionsElections

In democracies, elections are important to parties: Determine whether they survive Voting is simplest and most

frequently performed political act Citizens make collective decisions

about future leaders and policies Elections aggregate diverse concerns

into collective decision

In democracies, elections are important to parties: Determine whether they survive Voting is simplest and most

frequently performed political act Citizens make collective decisions

about future leaders and policies Elections aggregate diverse concerns

into collective decision


Electoral SystemsElectoral Systems

Rules by which elections are conducted Determine who can vote, how people vote,

how votes get counted Single-member district plurality (SMDP)

election rule First past the post Variation on this is majority runoff system

Proportional representation (PR) Primary elections

SMD elections: party officials select candidates

Proportional representation elections: party draws up list of candidates

Rules by which elections are conducted Determine who can vote, how people vote,

how votes get counted Single-member district plurality (SMDP)

election rule First past the post Variation on this is majority runoff system

Proportional representation (PR) Primary elections

SMD elections: party officials select candidates

Proportional representation elections: party draws up list of candidates


Patterns of Electoral CompetitionPatterns of Electoral Competition Duverger’s law: single-member districts create

2-party systems Mechanical effect – 3rd parties don’t win Psychological effect – voters anticipate

mechanical effect Strategic voting- support given to avoid

worse situation Anthony Downs

2-party systems: centrist pull or “convergence”

Effective number of parties

Duverger’s law: single-member districts create 2-party systems Mechanical effect – 3rd parties don’t win Psychological effect – voters anticipate

mechanical effect Strategic voting- support given to avoid

worse situation Anthony Downs

2-party systems: centrist pull or “convergence”

Effective number of parties


Competitive Parties in GovernmentCompetitive Parties in Government

Ability to implement policies is determined by nature of electoral outcome

Winning control of legislature and executive Coalition governments Aggregation of interests at executive level

rather than electoral can have costs and benefits

Ability to implement policies is determined by nature of electoral outcome

Winning control of legislature and executive Coalition governments Aggregation of interests at executive level

rather than electoral can have costs and benefits


Cooperation and Conflict in Competitive Party SystemsCooperation and Conflict in Competitive Party Systems Majoritarian two-party systems:

dominated by two parties (U.S) have two dominant parties and election laws

that create legislative majorities for one (Britain)

Majority-coalition systems: establish pre-electoral coalitions so voters

know which parties will work together to form government

Multiparty systems: election laws and party systems that ensure

no single party wins legislative majority no tradition of pre-election coalitions

Majoritarian two-party systems: dominated by two parties (U.S) have two dominant parties and election laws

that create legislative majorities for one (Britain)

Majority-coalition systems: establish pre-electoral coalitions so voters

know which parties will work together to form government

Multiparty systems: election laws and party systems that ensure

no single party wins legislative majority no tradition of pre-election coalitions


Cooperation and Conflict in Competitive Party SystemsCooperation and Conflict in Competitive Party Systems

Consensual party system: parties are not far apart on policies and

trust each other and political system Conflictual party system:

parties are far apart on policies and are antagonistic toward each other and political system

Consociational (accommodative) party system:

party systems have both consensual and conflictual features

Consensual party system: parties are not far apart on policies and

trust each other and political system Conflictual party system:

parties are far apart on policies and are antagonistic toward each other and political system

Consociational (accommodative) party system:

party systems have both consensual and conflictual features


Authoritarian Party SystemsAuthoritarian Party Systems

Can also aggregate interests Aggregation takes place within party or

interactions with groups Exclusive governing party – total control,

permits no opposition Inclusive governing party – accepts some groups

Authoritarian corporatist system – encourages interests but gives them no power

Electoral authoritarianism – façade of democracy

Can also aggregate interests Aggregation takes place within party or

interactions with groups Exclusive governing party – total control,

permits no opposition Inclusive governing party – accepts some groups

Authoritarian corporatist system – encourages interests but gives them no power

Electoral authoritarianism – façade of democracy


The Military and Interest AggregationThe Military and Interest Aggregation

Military has instruments of force and organizational capacity

Absent strong constitutional tradition, it is effective contender for power

Major limitation in interest aggregation is that military is not designed for this

Military has instruments of force and organizational capacity

Absent strong constitutional tradition, it is effective contender for power

Major limitation in interest aggregation is that military is not designed for this


Trends in Interest AggregationTrends in Interest Aggregation Democratic trend in the world has gained

momentum since the end of the 1980s. In 1990s – first time in world history

there are more free than unfree states Many African nations have moved

toward freedom Unfree states remain in Middle East,

Central Asia, Africa Authoritarian regimes remain in

Zimbabwe, Sudan, Somalia

Democratic trend in the world has gained momentum since the end of the 1980s. In 1990s – first time in world history

there are more free than unfree states Many African nations have moved

toward freedom Unfree states remain in Middle East,

Central Asia, Africa Authoritarian regimes remain in

Zimbabwe, Sudan, Somalia


Significance of Interest AggregationSignificance of Interest Aggregation How interests are aggregated is

important determinant of what government does for and to citizens

Democratic countries’ competitive party systems narrow down and combine policy preferences

Noncompetitive party systems, military governments, monarchies - aggregation works differently, but with similar effect of narrowing policy options

Aggregation ultimately affects government’s adaptability and stability

How interests are aggregated is important determinant of what government does for and to citizens

Democratic countries’ competitive party systems narrow down and combine policy preferences

Noncompetitive party systems, military governments, monarchies - aggregation works differently, but with similar effect of narrowing policy options

Aggregation ultimately affects government’s adaptability and stability


chapter five interest aggregation and political parties copyright © 2012, 2010, 2008 pearson...

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