Hostname: page-component-6bf8c574d5-t27h7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-19T20:59:58.972Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

What is a career politician? Theories, concepts, and measures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2020

Nicholas Allen Open the ORCID record for Nicholas Allen [Opens in a new window] ,
Gabriele Magni ,
Donald Searing  and
Philip Warncke
Nicholas Allen*
Affiliation:
Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, TW20 0EX, UK
Gabriele Magni
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science and International Relations, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA90045, USA
Donald Searing
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599-3265, USA
Philip Warncke
Affiliation:
Department of Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27599-3265, USA
*
*E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper examines the concept “career politician.” It seeks to clarify, systematize, and measure this ambiguous multidimensional concept in order to facilitate testing theories and hypotheses associated with it. We argue that career politicians are full-time politicians who lack significant experience in the wider world and have other distinguishing attributes for which they are both appreciated and criticized. From claims and critiques put forward by political scientists, journalists, publics, and politicians, we extract four principal dimensions: Strong Commitment, Narrow Occupational Background, Narrow Life Experience, and Strong Ambition. These dimensions and their indicators fit Wittgenstein’s family-resemblance conceptual structure, which is how we analyze, measure and validate them with data from a longitudinal study of British MPs spanning 1971–2016.

Keywords

career politicianprofessional politiciancareeristpolitical classpolitical ambitionfamily-resemblance concepts
Type
Research Article
Information
European Political Science Review , Volume 12 , Issue 2 , May 2020 , pp. 199 - 217
Copyright
© European Consortium for Political Research 2020

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

Abbott, D. (2015). ‘The labour leadership hopefuls represent a spadocracy – Where’s the vision?’ The Guardian, [online] Available at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/18/labour-party-leadership-race-spadocracy-special-advisers [Accessed 21 September 2019].Google Scholar
Allen, P. (2013) ‘Linking pre-parliamentary parliamentary experience and the career trajectories of the 1997 general election Cohort’. Parliamentary Affairs 66(4): 685–707.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allen, P. (2018), The Political Class. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Allen, P. and Cairney, P. 2017. ‘What do we mean when we talk about the “Political Class”’? Political Studies Review 15(1): 18–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allen, P. and Cowley, P. 2018. ‘The rise of the professional politician?’ in Leston-Bandeira, C. and Thompson, L., eds. Exploring Parliament. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 221–230.Google Scholar
Aristotle. (1925) The Nicomachean Ethics. Translated by D. Ross. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Best, H. and Cotta, M. (2000) ‘Elite transformation and modes of representation since the mid-nineteenth century: some theoretical considerations’. In: Best, H. and Cotta, M., eds. Parliamentary Representatives in Europe 1848-2000. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 1–28.Google Scholar
Blears, H. (2008) Tackling Political Disengagement. Speech to the Hansard Society 5 November.Google Scholar
Borchert, J. (2003) ‘Professional politicians: towards a comparative perspective’. in Borchert, J. and Zeiss, J., eds. The Political Class in Advanced Democracies: A Comparative Perspective. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 1–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Borchert, J. and Zeiss, J., eds. (2003) The Political Class in Advanced Democracies: A Comparative Perspective. Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cairney, P. (2007) ‘The professionalisation of MPs: Refining the “Politics Facilitating” explanation’. Parliamentary Affairs 60(2): 212–233.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, R. and Cowley, P., (2014) ‘What voters want: reactions to candidate characteristics in a survey experiment’. Political Studies 62(4): 745–765.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cavendish, C. (2010) ‘I want The West Wing, not The Office politics’. The Times, [online] Available at https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/i-want-the-west-wing-not-the-office-politics-l85368m276k [Accessed 21 September 2019].Google Scholar
Clarke, N., Jennings, W., Moss, J. and Stoker, G. (2018) The Good Politician: Folk Theories, Political Interaction, and the Rise of Anti-Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Collier, D. and Mahon, J.E. Jr. (1993) ‘Conceptual “Stretching” revisited: adapting categories in comparative analysis’. American Political Science Review 87(4): 845–855.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cowley, P. (2012) ‘Arise, Novice leader! The continuing rise of the career politician in Britain’. Politics 32(1): 31–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crace, J. (2015), ‘The insider’s guide to Westminster: from Portcullis House to the Burma Road’. The Guardian, [online] Available at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/14/insiders-guide-westminster-portcullis-house-burma-road [Accessed 21 September 2019].Google Scholar
Crewe, E. (2015), The House of Commons: An Anthropology of MPs at Work. London: Bloomsbury.Google Scholar
Durose, C., Richardson, L., Combs, R., Eason, C., and Gains, F. (2013), ‘“Acceptable Difference”: Diversity, representation and pathways to UK politics’. Parliamentary Affairs 66(2): 246–267.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fisher, L. (2014), ‘MP’s decision to quit puts focus on stresses of the job. The Times, [online] Available at https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mps-decision-to-quit-puts-focus-on-stresses-of-job-69hxr3g5grp [Accessed 21 September 2019].Google Scholar
Goertz, G. (2006), Social Science Concepts: A User’s Guide. Princeton: Princeton University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goplerud, M. (2015), ‘The first time is (Mostly) the Charm: special advisers as parliamentary candidates and members of parliament’. Parliamentary Affairs 68(2): 332–351.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Groves, J. (2012), ‘Increase in “Professional Politicians” means one in seven MPs have never done a real job (and that includes Ed Miliband). Daily Mail, [online] Available at https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2175695/One-seven-MPs-real-job.html [Accessed 21 September 2019].Google Scholar
Hardman, I. (2018), Why We Get the Wrong Politicians. London: Atlantic Books.Google Scholar
Heath, O. (2015), ‘Policy representation, social representation and class voting in Britain’. British Journal of Political Science 45(1): 173–193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henn, S.J. (2018), ‘The further rise of the career politician’. British Politics 13(4): 524–553.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heuwieser, R.J. (2018), ‘Submissive lobby fodder or assertive political actors? party loyalty of career politicians in the UK house of commons 2005-15’. Legislative Studies Quarterly 43(2): 305–341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackson, J. (1988), ‘Driven to destruction.’ The Guardian, 18 January, p. 26.Google Scholar
Jun, U. (2003), ‘Great Britain: From the prevalence of the amateur to the dominance of the professional politician.’ in Borchert, J. and Zeiss, J, eds. The Political Class in Advanced Democracies: A Comparative Perspective. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 164–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kam, C. (2006), ‘Demotion and dissent in the Canadian liberal party’. British Journal of Political Science 36(3): 561–574.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kettle, M. (2015), ‘Why you won’t catch a British politician at the Opera’. The Guardian, [online] Available at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jul/30/british-politicians-angela-merkel-flaunt-cultural-tastes [Accessed 21 September 2019].Google Scholar
King, A. (1981), ‘The rise of the career politician in Britain – And its consequences’. British Journal of Political Science 11(3): 249–285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
King, A. (2015), Who Governs Britain? London: Penguin Books.Google Scholar
King, A. and Crewe, I. (2014), The Blunders of Our Governments. London: One World.Google Scholar
King, J.D. (2000), ‘Changes in professionalism in U.S. state legislatures’. Legislative Studies Quarterly 25(2): 327–343.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koop, R., and Bittner, A. (2011), ‘Parachuted in to parliament: Candidate nomination, appointed candidates, and legislative roles in Canada’. Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties 21(4): 431–452.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lamprinakou, C., Morucci, M., Campbell, R. and van Heerde-Hudson, J. (2016), ‘All change in the house? The profile of candidates and MPs in the 2015 British general election’. Parliamentary Affairs 70(2): 207–232.Google Scholar
Langdon, J. (2015), ‘Why have our MPs changed so much in 40 Years?’ BBC News, [online] Available at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31584227 [Accessed 21 September 2019].Google Scholar
Levitsky, S., and Ziblatt, D. (2019), How Democracies Die: What History Reveals About Our Future. London: Penguin Books.Google Scholar
Macdonald, S. E. (1987), ‘Political ambition and attainment’ Ph.D. diss., University of Michigan.Google Scholar
MacKenzie, S.A. (2015), ‘Life before congress: using precongressional experience to assess competing explanations for political professionalism’. Journal of Politics 77(2): 505–518.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Matthews, D.R. (1984), ‘Legislative recruitment and legislative careers’. Legislative Studies Quarterly 9(4): 547–585.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mattozzi, A. and Merlo, M. (2008), ‘Political careers or career politicians?’ Journal of Public Economics 92(3–4): 597–608.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McAllister, I. (1997), Australia. in Norris, P., ed. Passages to Power: Legislative Recruitment in Advanced Democracies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 15–32.Google Scholar
Norris, P. ed. (1997), Passages to Power: Legislative Recruitment in Advanced Democracies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Norton, P. (1997), ‘Roles and behavior of British MPs’. in Müller, W.C. and Saalfeld, T., eds. Members of Parliament in Western Europe: Roles and Behaviour. London: Frank Cass, pp. 17–31Google Scholar
Oborne, P. (2007), The Triumph of the Political Class. London: Simon and Schuster.Google Scholar
O’Grady, T. (2019), ‘Careerists versus coal-miners: welfare reforms and the substantive representation of social groups in the British labour party’. Comparative Political Studies 52(4): 544–578.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paxman, J. (2002), The Political Animal: An Anatomy. London: Michael Joseph.Google Scholar
Polsby, N. (1968), ‘The institutionalization of the U.S. house of representatives’. American Political Science Review 62(1): 144–168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Riddell, P. (1996), Honest Opportunism: The Rise of the Career Politician. London: Indigo.Google Scholar
Riddell, P. (2011), In Defence of Politicians (In Spite of Themselves). London: Biteback.Google Scholar
Roberts, J. (2017), Losing Political Office. London: Palgrave Macmillan.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rush, M. (1994), ‘Career patterns in British politics: First choose your party’. Parliamentary Affairs 47(4): 566–582.Google Scholar
Rush, M. (2001), The Role of the Members of Parliament Since 1868: From Gentlemen to Players. London: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rush, M. and Cromwell, V. (2000), ‘Continuity and change: legislative recruitment in the United Kingdom 1868-1999’. in Best, H. and Cotta, M., eds. Parliamentary Representatives in Europe 1848-2000. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 463–491.Google Scholar
Saalfeld, T. (1997), Professionalisation of parliamentary roles in Germany: An aggregate-level analysis, 1949–94. in Müller, W.C. and Saalfeld, T., eds. Members of Parliament in Western Europe: Roles and Behaviour. London: Frank Cass, pp. 32–54.Google Scholar
Sartori, G. (1970), ‘Concept misinformation in comparative politics’. American Political Science Review 64(4): 1033–1053.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Savoie, D.J. (2014), ‘The perils of the career politician’ Globe and Mail, [online] Available at https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/the-perils-of-the-career-politician/article20924219 [Accessed 21 September 2019].Google Scholar
Schlesinger, J. (1966), Ambition and Politics: Political Careers in the United States. Chicago: Rand McNally.Google Scholar
Searing, D. (1994), Westminster’s World. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Shabad, G. and Slomczynski, K.M. (2002), ‘The emergence of career politicians in post-communist democracies: Poland and the Czech Republic’. Legislative Studies Quarterly 27(3): 333–359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sieberer, U. and Müller, W.C.. (2017), ‘Aiming Higher: the consequences of progressive ambition among MPs in European parliaments’. European Political Science Review 9(1): 27–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, G. (1978), The growing band of rebel MPs, The Times, 5 September, p. 14.Google Scholar
Squire, P. (1993), ‘Professionalization and public opinion of state legislators’ Journal of Politics 55(2): 479–491.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Squire, P. (2007), ‘Measuring state legislative professionalism: The squire index revisited’. State Politics and Policy Quarterly 7(2): 211–227.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weber, M. 1946[1919]. ‘Politics as a vocation’. In: Garth, H. and Mills, C., eds. Essays in Sociology. New York: Macmillan, pp. 26–45.Google Scholar
Wessels, B. (1997), Germany. in Norris, P., ed. Passages to Power: Legislative Recruitment in Advanced Democracies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 76–97.Google Scholar
White, M. (1983), ‘Chance will make one mp man of destiny’. The Guardian, 18 June, p. 2.Google Scholar
Wittgenstein, L. (1953), Philosophical Investigations. London: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Wright, T. (2013), What is it about career politicians? Political Quarterly 84(4): 448–453.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Allen et al. supplementary material

Online Appendix

Download Allen et al. supplementary material(File)
File 102.6 KB