POLI 212 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Ronald Inglehart, Dealignment

• School: McGill University
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLI 212
• Professor: Hudson Meadwell

Document Summary

Voters become less loyal: economic growth makes class lines fade, cultural shifts (e. g. secularization) and generational change remove old allegiances, voters sick of traditional catch-all parties. Voters become interested in new issues: old battles have been fought and won, environment, post-materialism (see: ronald inglehart, multiculturalism, immigration (see: cas muddle) Parties move to meet the median voter": catch-all parties more pragmatic than programmatic. New political parties emerge: attract dissatisfied voters upset about traditional parties, always the same parties in power or in coalition, main parties interchangeable, no distinct message, traditional parties unable to address new political issues adequately. What accounts for the success of far-right parties in different countries: structural explanations are not satisfying. Compares different strategic explanations: kitschelt: existing parties all the same, v/d brug: right-wing parties too mainstream.