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Rhetoric on the economy: have European parties changed their economic messages?

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  • Elina De Simone
  • Paulo Reis Mourao

Abstract

This study analyses the determinants of dispersion of economic issue mentions in European party manifestos. We examined three main economic domains (governmental control of the economy, free market capitalism and support for the welfare state) as consequences of globalization forces, economic conditions, partisanship and electoral turnout. Employing aggregate-level Comparative Manifesto Project (CMP) data from legislative elections in 15 European countries from 1970 to 2010, we confirm that parties hold a common view of the salience of economic control of the state as a consequence of globalization pressure and economic growth levels. Partisanship of the cabinets (regardless of the political orientation) counteracted issue salience concentration in the welfare domain. Government size favoured dispersion in the free market realm. Our results do not indicate clear homogenization of parties’ economic messages in elections over the last 40 years.

Suggested Citation

  • Elina De Simone & Paulo Reis Mourao, 2016. "Rhetoric on the economy: have European parties changed their economic messages?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(22), pages 2022-2036, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:48:y:2016:i:22:p:2022-2036
    DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2015.1111992
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    1. Anthony Downs, 1957. "An Economic Theory of Political Action in a Democracy," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 65(2), pages 135-135.
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    Cited by:

    1. Joscha Beckmann & Rainer Schweickert & Markus Ahlborn & Inna Melnykovska, 2020. "Drivers of Government Activity in European Countries: Do Partisan Politics Still Divide East and West?," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(5), pages 1235-1251, September.
    2. Paulo Reis Mourao, 2019. "The effectiveness of Green voices in parliaments: Do Green Parties matter in the control of pollution?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 985-1011, April.
    3. Paulo Mourao, 2021. "Health by Words—A Content Analysis of Political Manifestos in the Portuguese Elections of 1975," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-17, July.

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