The Cartelization of Party Politics in Advanced States

(with Mark Blyth)

This project seeks to explain economic policy change in advanced industrial states in terms of the dynamics of their party systems. It starts by rejecting the standard 'globalization' account of economic policy change as a straightforward response to external pressures. Instead, we focus on the ways in which party organizational and party system change can lead politicians to adopt the 'globalization' argument as a way of managing expectations, dealing with internal tensions, and facilitating electoral mobilization. We draw on theories of oligopoly to show how parties have little incentive to deviate from an orthodox 'centrist' economic discourse once a dominant party signals its commitment to such a discourse. Our analysis provides an explanation for the convergence of economic policy narratives amongst political parties in a variety of advanced states, despite the lack of evidence for any such convergence in the real economy.

Work in progress:

Hopkin, J. and M. Blyth. 'Globalization Didn't Make You Do It: Cartel Politics and Social Democratic Policy Change', paper presented to 14^th Conference of Europeanists, Chicago, 11-13 March 2004.

Hopkin, J. 'The Emergence and Convergence of the Cartel Party: Parties, State and Economy in Southern Europe', paper presented to 13^th Conference of Europeanists, Chicago, 14-16 March 2002.

Publication:

Blyth, M. and J. Hopkin (2004). 'La globalizzazione e il mutamento della socialdemocrazia', Meridiana. Rivista di Storia e Scienze Sociali  50-51: 41-70.