Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T09:18:03.509Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

In Search of the Center of European Party Systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

Hans Daalder
Hans Daalder*
Affiliation:
University of Leyden
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Duverger's famous dictum that “the center does not exist in politics” is the starting point of an inquiry into the possible meanings of the concept of a center, and of center parties, in European party systems. This article consists of six sections; the first five sections deal with the center as a pivot in voting, the center in traditional left-right distributions, the notion of a center in multidimensional party spaces, the center in terms of mechanics, applying rather different metaphors of scales-in-balance and of centripetal versus centrifugal forces, and the center analyzed in terms of social cleavages. Following this search for conceptual meaning, in which the writings of Duverger and Sartori receive particular attention, the record of European party systems is examined to see whether the presence or absence of center parties in party systems can contribute to a realistic classification of European party systems.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Political Science Review , Volume 78 , Issue 1 , March 1984 , pp. 92 - 109
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barnes, S.H., & Kaase, M.et al.Political action: mass participation in five western democracies. Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage, 1979.Google Scholar
Bartolini, S.Il mutamento del sistema partitico in Francia. Il Mulino, 1981, 30, 169–219.Google Scholar
Black, D.Theory of committees and elections. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1958.Google Scholar
Bogdanor, V.Multiparty politics and the constitution. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983.Google Scholar
Browne, E. C.Testing theories of coalition formation in the European context. Comparative Political Studies, 1970, 3, 391–412.Google Scholar
Browne, E. C., & Dreijmanis, J. (Eds.). Government coalitions in western democracies. New York: Longmans, 1982.Google Scholar
Budge, I.I., & Farlie, D.Voting and party competition: a theoretical critique and synthesis applied to surveys from ten democracies. London: Wiley, 1977.Google Scholar
Budge, I., & Farlie, D.Party competition—selective emphasis or direct confrontation: an alternative view with data. In Daalder, H. & Mair, P. (Eds.), Western European party systems: continuity and change. Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage, pp. 267–305.Google Scholar
Budge, I., & Herman, V.Coalitions and government formation: an empirically relevant theory. British Journal of Political Science, 1978, 8, 459–477.Google Scholar
Daalder, H.The Netherlands: opposition in a segmented society. In Dahl, R.A. (Ed.), Political oppositions in western democracies. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1966, pp. 188–236.Google Scholar
Daalder, H.Cabinets and party systems in ten smaller European democracies. Acta Politica, 1971, 6, 282–303.Google Scholar
Daalder, H.The consociational democracy theme. World Politics, 1974, 26, 604–621.Google Scholar
Daalder, H.The Netherlands. In Henig, S. (Ed.), Political parties in the European community. London: Allen and Unwin/PSI, 1979, pp. 175–208.Google Scholar
Daalder, H., & Rusk, J.G.Perceptions of party in the Dutch parliament. In Patterson, S. C. & Wahlke, J. C. (Eds.), Comparative legislative behavior. New York: Wiley, 1971, pp. 143–198.Google Scholar
Daalder, H., & Van de Geer, J. P.Partijafstanden in de Tweede Kamer. Acta Politica, 1977, 12, 289–345.Google Scholar
Daalder, I. H.The Italian party system in transition: the end of polarised pluralism? West European Politics, 1983, 6, 216–236.Google Scholar
Daudt, H.Floating voters and the floating vote. Leiden: Stenfert Kroese, 1961.Google Scholar
De Leeuw, J.Canonical analysis of categorical data. University of Leyden: doctoral dissertation, 1973.Google Scholar
De Swaan, A.Coalition theories and cabinet formations. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1973.Google Scholar
Di Palma, G.Left, right or center? Presented at IPSA Round Table on The Politics of Mediterranean Europe, Athens: 28 05-1 06 1978. (See also: Destra, Sinistra o Centro? Sulla Legittimazione di Partiti e Coalizioni nel Sud Europa. Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politico, 1978, 8, 171–211).Google Scholar
Dodd, L. C.Coalitions in parliamentary government. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1976.Google Scholar
Downs, A.An economic theory of democracy. New York: Harper and Row, 1957.Google Scholar
Duverger, M.Political parties: their organization and activity in the modern state. London: Methuen, 1964.Google Scholar
Farneti, P.Il Sistema dei Partiti in Italia 1946–1979. Bologna: Il Mulino, 1983.Google Scholar
Finer, S. E. (Ed.). Adversary politics and electoral reform. London: Wigram, 1975.Google Scholar
Finer, S. E.The changing British party system. Washington, D.C.: American Enterprise Institute, 1980.Google Scholar
Graham, B.Theories of the French party system under the Third Republic. Political Studies, 1964, 12, 21–32.Google Scholar
Hazewindus, W. G. A.Afstanden tussen Partijen in de Tweede Kamer. University of Leyden: unpublished thesis.Google Scholar
Hazewindus, W. G. A., & Mokken, R. J.A distance analysis of party preferences. Presented at Workshop on European Cabinet Coalitions, ECPR, Helvoirt, 1972.Google Scholar
Herman, V., & Pope, J.Minority governments in Western democracies. British Journal of Political Science, 1973, 3, 191–212.Google Scholar
Inglehart, R., & Klingemann, H.D.Party identification, ideological preference and the left-right dimension among western mass publics. In Budge, I., Crewe, I., & Farlie, D. (Eds.), Party identification and beyond. New York: Wiley, 1976, pp. 243–273.Google Scholar
Irving, R. E. M.The centre parties in the Fifth French Republic. Parliamentary Affairs, 1976, 39, 264–280.Google Scholar
Irwin, G.A., & Thomassen, J.J.A.Issue consensus in a multiparty system. Acta Politica, 1975, 10, 389–420.Google Scholar
Irwin, G.A., & Wiebrens, C.J.Measuring individual issue positions by seven point scales: some comparisons and tests of assumptions. Presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association. Washington, D.C., 1979.Google Scholar
Lijphart, A.The politics of accommodation: pluralism and democracy in the Netherlands. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1968. (a)Google Scholar
Lijphart, A.Typologies of democratic systems. Comparative Political Studies, 1968, 1, 3–44. (b)Google Scholar
Lijphart, A.Consociational democracy. World Politics, 1969, 21, 207–255.Google Scholar
Lijphart, A.Democracy in plural societies. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1977.Google Scholar
Lijphart, A.Political parties: ideologies and programs. In Butler, D., Penniman, H., & Ranney, A. (Eds.), Democracy at the polls: a comparative study of competitive national elections. Washington, D.C.: American Enterprise Institute, 1981, pp. 27–42.Google Scholar
Luebbert, G. M.A theory of cabinet formation in multiparty democracies. Ph.D. dissertation, Stanford University, 1983.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
May, J.D.Opinion structure of political parties: the special law of curvilinear disparity. Political Studies, 1913, 21, 135–151.Google Scholar
Morgan, R., & Silvestri, S. (Eds.). Moderates and conservatives in Western Europe: political partie the European community and the Atlantic alliance. London: Heinemann, 1982.Google Scholar
Niemböller, B.Links en Rechts in de Zeventiger Jaren. In C., van der Eijk (Ed.), Longitudinaal Enquête Onderzoek: Mogelijkheden en Problemen. Amsterdam: Mededelingen 6/7 van de Subfaculteit der Algemene Politieke en Sociale Wetenschappen, 1981.Google Scholar
Pedersen, M. N., Damgaard, E., & Nannestad Olsen, P.Party distances in the Danish Folketing 1945-1968, Scandinavian Political Studies, 1971, 6, 87–106.Google Scholar
Petry, F.In search of the center: some preliminary remarks on equilibrium conditions in multi-party systems. Presented to the Colloquium on Recent Changes in European Party Systems, European University Institute, Florence, 15–19 12, 1978.Google Scholar
Robertson, D.A theory of party competition. London and New York: Wiley, 1976.Google Scholar
Rokkan, S.Citizens, elections, parties. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget, 1970.Google Scholar
Rokkan, S., & Valen, H.The mobilization of the periphery: data on turnout, membership and candidate recruitment in Norway. In Rokkan, S. (Ed.), Approaches to the study of political participation. Bergen: The Chr. Michelsen Institute, 1962, p. 111–158.Google Scholar
Rokkan, S., & Valen, H.Regional contrasts in Norwegian politics. In Allardt, E. & Littunen, Y. (Eds.), Cleavages, ideologies and party systems: contributions to comparative political sociology. Helsinki: Academic Bookstore, 1964, pp. 162–238.Google Scholar
Rose, R., & Mackie, Th.T.Incumbency in government: asset or liability? In Daalder, H. & Mair, P. (Eds.), Western European systems: continuity and change. Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage, 1983, pp. 115–137.Google Scholar
Sani, G., & Sartori, G.Polarization, fragmentation and competition in Western democracies. In Daalder, H. & Mair, P (Eds.), Western European party systems: continuity and change. Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage, 1983, pp. 307–340.Google Scholar
Sartori, G.European political parties: the case of polarized pluralism. In LaPalombara, J. & Weiner, M. (Eds.), Political parties and political development. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1966, pp. 137–176.Google Scholar
Sartori, G.The typology of party systems—proposals for improvement. In Allardt, E. & Rokkan, S. (Eds.), Mass politics: studies in political sociology. New York: Free Press, 1970, pp. 322–352.Google Scholar
Sartori, G.Parties and party systems: a framework for analysis (Vol. 1). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1976.Google Scholar
Sartori, G.Teoria dei Partiti e Caso Italiano. Milano: SugarCo Edizioni, 1982.Google Scholar
Sidjanski, D.Europe elections: de la démocratié Européenne. Paris: Stanke, 1979.Google Scholar
Sjöblom, G.Party strategies in a multiparty system. Lund: Studentlitteratur, 1968.Google Scholar
Taylor, M., & Laver, M.Government coalitions in Western Europe. European Journal of Political Research, 1973, 1, 205–248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomassen, J. J. A.Kiezers en Gekozenen in een Representatieve Democratie. Alphen: Samsom, 1976.Google Scholar
Valen, H.National conflict structure and foreign politics: the impact of the EEC issue on perceived cleavages in Norwegian politics. European Journal of Political Research, 1976, 4, 47–82.Google Scholar
Van der Eijk, C., & Niemöller, B.Electoral change in the Netherlands. Amsterdam: CT-Press, 1983.Google Scholar
Van de Geer, J.P., & de Man, H.Analysis of responses to issue statements by members of the Dutch parliament. University of Leyden: Department of Data Theory, 1974.Google Scholar
Von Beyme, K.Parteien in Westlichen Demokratien, Munchen: Piper, 1982.Google Scholar
Wheare, K.C.Review of Government and parliament: a survey from the inside by H. Morrison. The Listener, 11 25, 1954.Google Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.