Party Policy and Government Coalitions

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxii

   PDF

2. Coalition Theory, Government Policy and Party Policy

   • Ian Budge, M. J. Laver

   Pages 1-14

3. Measuring Policy Distances and Modelling Coalition Formation

   • M. J. Laver, Ian Budge

   Pages 15-40

4. Coalition and Party Policy in Ireland

   • M. J. Laver

   Pages 41-60

5. Norway: Policy Pursuit and Coalition Avoidance

   • Kaare Strom, Jorn Leipart

   Pages 61-108

6. Sweden: Social Democratic Dominance in One Dimension

   • Kaare Strom, Torbjorn Bergman

   Pages 109-150

7. Party and Coalition Policy in Denmark

   • Tove-Lise Schou, Derek John Hearl

   Pages 151-188

8. Coalition Governments in the Federal Republic of Germany: Does Policy Matter?

   • Hans-Dieter Klingemann, Andrea Volkens

   Pages 189-222

9. Party and Coalition in Luxembourg

   • Derek John Hearl

   Pages 223-243

10. Policy and Coalition in Belgium

    • Derek John Hearl

    Pages 244-276

11. The Role of Policy in Dutch Coalition Building, 1946–81

    • Pieter Tops, Karl Dittrich

    Pages 277-311

12. Party Policy and Coalition Bargaining in Italy, 1948–87: Is There Order Behind the Chaos?

    • Alfio Mastropaolo, Martin Slater

    Pages 312-345

13. Party Policy and Coalition Bargaining in Israel

    • Judith Bara

    Pages 346-379

14. Coalition Bargaining in the French Fourth Republic 1946–58

    • François Petry

    Pages 380-408

15. The Relationship Between Party and Coalition Policy in Europe: An Empirical Synthesis

    • Ian Budge, M. J. Laver

    Pages 409-430

16. Back Matter

    Pages 431-448

    PDF

Coalitions are the commonest kind of democratic government, occurring frequently in most countries of western Europe. It is usually assumed that political parties came together in a government coalition because they agree already, or can reach an agreement, on the policy it should pursue. This book examines this idea using evidence from party election programmes and government programmes. It demonstrates that party policies do influence government programmes, but not to the extent they would if policy-agreement were the sole basis of coalition.

• government
• Israel
• Policy

• University College of Galway, Ireland

  M. J. Laver

• University of Essex, UK

  Ian Budge

Policies and ethics