POLI 212 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Cas Mudde, Niche Market, Chauvinism
17 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
POLI 212 - Lecture 20
04/11/2018
Topic 8: Populism in Europe
● Competition between unequals
○ Theory put forward by Bonnie Meguid
○ We have seen niche parties emerge in many countries but what explains why
some parties are more successful than others?
○ Explanation based on strategic behaviour of political parties
■ Contrasts with structural or socio-economic explanations
○ Niche parties change issue salience and issue ownership
○ Parties choose to adopt adversarial, accommodative, or dismissive strategies
○ Bale et al. reading follows along this theoretical train of thought
● Bale et al. “If you can’t beat em…”
○ Continuing with Norris’s idea of ‘contagion’ from the far-right
○ Based on qualitative case studies (importance of timing and sequence)
○ ‘Triple challenge’ faced by social-democratic parties
■ Campaign on their issues, take their voter, facilitate centre-right
governments
○ Have social democratic parties moved to the right?
■ Not just a problem for right-wing parties
○ Success or failure of strategies still dependent on other factors
■ Response of right-wing party, unity of SD party, and how other left-wing
parties react
● Polakow-Suransky: “The Nativist Nanny State”
○ Is there tension between a generous welfare state and immigration?
○ Some see a trade-off between diversity and redistribution
■ “Welfare chauvinism” from various segments of society
■ “Club goods” are being threatened by newcomers
○ Populist right capitalized upon underserved niche market in the 1990s
■ Fear amidst increased immigration and feeling ‘left out’ as SD parties
courted educated, middle-class voters
■ Tapped into people who wouldn’t normally go to vote
○ Stopped being economically conservative, lured votes away from the traditional
left
■ In turn, left-wing parties have taken on some populist elements
● Can populism have benefits?
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Explanation based on strategic behaviour of political parties. Niche parties change issue salience and issue ownership. Parties choose to adopt adversarial, accommodative, or dismissive strategies. Bale et al. reading follows along this theoretical train of thought. Continuing with norris"s idea of contagion" from the far-right. Based on qualitative case studies (importance of timing and sequence) Campaign on their issues, take their voter, facilitate centre-right governments. Not just a problem for right-wing parties. Success or failure of strategies still dependent on other factors. Response of right-wing party, unity of sd party, and how other left-wing parties react. Some see a trade-off between diversity and redistribution. Welfare chauvinism from various segments of society. Club goods are being threatened by newcomers. Populist right capitalized upon underserved niche market in the 1990s. Fear amidst increased immigration and feeling left out" as sd parties courted educated, middle-class voters. Tapped into people who wouldn"t normally go to vote.
