Robert Elgie (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198295655
- eISBN:
- 9780191599149
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198295650.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
Divided government occurs when the executive fails to enjoy majority support in at least one house of the legislature. To date, the study of divided government has focused almost exclusively on the ...
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Divided government occurs when the executive fails to enjoy majority support in at least one house of the legislature. To date, the study of divided government has focused almost exclusively on the US. However, divided government occurs much more widely in other presidential systems and is the equivalent of minority government in parliamentary regimes. This book examines the frequency, causes, and management of divided government in a comparative context, identifying the similarities and differences between various countries around the world.Less
Divided government occurs when the executive fails to enjoy majority support in at least one house of the legislature. To date, the study of divided government has focused almost exclusively on the US. However, divided government occurs much more widely in other presidential systems and is the equivalent of minority government in parliamentary regimes. This book examines the frequency, causes, and management of divided government in a comparative context, identifying the similarities and differences between various countries around the world.
Heikki Paloheimo
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198295655
- eISBN:
- 9780191599149
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198295650.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
Divided government in the case of Finland has resulted not just from its ‘semi‐presidential’ division of power between the president and the government, but also from the frequency with which the ...
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Divided government in the case of Finland has resulted not just from its ‘semi‐presidential’ division of power between the president and the government, but also from the frequency with which the electorate has failed to return decisive majorities. The frequency of minority governments and the qualified majorities who needed to pass legislation have often made it necessary to establish a ‘cohabitation’ arrangement between the government and the legislature.Less
Divided government in the case of Finland has resulted not just from its ‘semi‐presidential’ division of power between the president and the government, but also from the frequency with which the electorate has failed to return decisive majorities. The frequency of minority governments and the qualified majorities who needed to pass legislation have often made it necessary to establish a ‘cohabitation’ arrangement between the government and the legislature.
Erik Damgaard
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198297840
- eISBN:
- 9780191602016
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019829784X.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
Denmark is close to an ideal-typical model of parliamentary democracy; however, the picture is complicated by at least five general features of Danish politics. First, Denmark is a small state, ...
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Denmark is close to an ideal-typical model of parliamentary democracy; however, the picture is complicated by at least five general features of Danish politics. First, Denmark is a small state, heavily constrained by international ties. Second, Denmark has frequent minority governments, which affects the chain of parliamentary delegation. Third, the delegative chain can be circumvented by direct democracy (referendums). Fourth, interest organizations strongly influence policy outcomes in Denmark. Fifth, strong party discipline enables political parties to structure delegation and accountability between voters, Parliament, and government.Less
Denmark is close to an ideal-typical model of parliamentary democracy; however, the picture is complicated by at least five general features of Danish politics. First, Denmark is a small state, heavily constrained by international ties. Second, Denmark has frequent minority governments, which affects the chain of parliamentary delegation. Third, the delegative chain can be circumvented by direct democracy (referendums). Fourth, interest organizations strongly influence policy outcomes in Denmark. Fifth, strong party discipline enables political parties to structure delegation and accountability between voters, Parliament, and government.
Torbjörn Bergman
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198297840
- eISBN:
- 9780191602016
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019829784X.003.0020
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
While far from perfect, for much of the post-war period the Swedish chain of democratic delegation and accountability has not been affected by serious agency problems. Fierce electoral competition ...
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While far from perfect, for much of the post-war period the Swedish chain of democratic delegation and accountability has not been affected by serious agency problems. Fierce electoral competition between two clearly defined blocs and two alternative visions of society allowed voters to be reasonably sure that elections would impact on the direction of national politics. At the same time, the minority status of most cabinets allowed for moderation in policy decisions. Since the late 1980s, however, Swedish politicians have increasingly been faced with distrust, lower electoral turnout, and a loss of party members. It is possible that the growing discrepancy between de facto power relations and the ideal-typical Constitution contributes to a declining popular trust in politicians and political parties.Less
While far from perfect, for much of the post-war period the Swedish chain of democratic delegation and accountability has not been affected by serious agency problems. Fierce electoral competition between two clearly defined blocs and two alternative visions of society allowed voters to be reasonably sure that elections would impact on the direction of national politics. At the same time, the minority status of most cabinets allowed for moderation in policy decisions. Since the late 1980s, however, Swedish politicians have increasingly been faced with distrust, lower electoral turnout, and a loss of party members. It is possible that the growing discrepancy between de facto power relations and the ideal-typical Constitution contributes to a declining popular trust in politicians and political parties.
Robert Elgie
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199585984
- eISBN:
- 9780191729003
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199585984.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
The book ends by revisiting the standard problems of semi-presidentialism that were identified in Chapter 1 and placing them in the context of the findings about premier-presidentialism and ...
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The book ends by revisiting the standard problems of semi-presidentialism that were identified in Chapter 1 and placing them in the context of the findings about premier-presidentialism and president-parliamentarism that were identified over the course of the book as a whole. Why was so little support found for the problem of cohabitation and a divided executive? To what extent is minority government a problem for semi-presidential countries? What is the relationship between presidential power and the form of semi-presidentialism? Addressing these questions helps to generate a research agenda for the next generation of semi-presidential studies.Less
The book ends by revisiting the standard problems of semi-presidentialism that were identified in Chapter 1 and placing them in the context of the findings about premier-presidentialism and president-parliamentarism that were identified over the course of the book as a whole. Why was so little support found for the problem of cohabitation and a divided executive? To what extent is minority government a problem for semi-presidential countries? What is the relationship between presidential power and the form of semi-presidentialism? Addressing these questions helps to generate a research agenda for the next generation of semi-presidential studies.
Jørgen Elklit
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199257560
- eISBN:
- 9780191603280
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199257566.003.0022
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
Denmark has a very inclusive electoral system, combining high proportionality, low thresholds, and meaningful voter choice among candidates. Its multi-party system results in coalition governments, ...
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Denmark has a very inclusive electoral system, combining high proportionality, low thresholds, and meaningful voter choice among candidates. Its multi-party system results in coalition governments, many of them minority governments. Parliament is more representative socio-demographically of the population than most of its counterparts in other countries, with women forming a high percentage of MPs. The current system is widely regarded as working well, and there are few pressures for electoral reform.Less
Denmark has a very inclusive electoral system, combining high proportionality, low thresholds, and meaningful voter choice among candidates. Its multi-party system results in coalition governments, many of them minority governments. Parliament is more representative socio-demographically of the population than most of its counterparts in other countries, with women forming a high percentage of MPs. The current system is widely regarded as working well, and there are few pressures for electoral reform.
David P. Auerswald and Stephen M. Saideman
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691159386
- eISBN:
- 9781400848676
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691159386.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter discusses a second type of political system where individual leaders are empowered: parliamentary systems with a single party controlling the government. Great Britain and Canada have ...
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This chapter discusses a second type of political system where individual leaders are empowered: parliamentary systems with a single party controlling the government. Great Britain and Canada have been important players in Afghanistan, with both showing significant variation in what they were willing to do over time. One key difference is that Canada was led by a minority government for nearly all of its time in Afghanistan. Thus, these two countries have very similar institutions, similar political cultures, and large variations in how they have performed in Afghanistan and how they have been governed at home. These differences allow one to distinguish the key forces shaping decision making when prime ministers are unencumbered by the requirements of maintaining a domestic political coalition. This chapter then touches on two other countries in this category: Spain and Turkey.Less
This chapter discusses a second type of political system where individual leaders are empowered: parliamentary systems with a single party controlling the government. Great Britain and Canada have been important players in Afghanistan, with both showing significant variation in what they were willing to do over time. One key difference is that Canada was led by a minority government for nearly all of its time in Afghanistan. Thus, these two countries have very similar institutions, similar political cultures, and large variations in how they have performed in Afghanistan and how they have been governed at home. These differences allow one to distinguish the key forces shaping decision making when prime ministers are unencumbered by the requirements of maintaining a domestic political coalition. This chapter then touches on two other countries in this category: Spain and Turkey.
Michael Koß
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199572755
- eISBN:
- 9780191595103
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199572755.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics, Political Economy
The most important variable facilitating the Swedish parties' consensus on state funding was the constitutional reform of 1970. The constitutional reform strengthened the position of the bourgeois ...
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The most important variable facilitating the Swedish parties' consensus on state funding was the constitutional reform of 1970. The constitutional reform strengthened the position of the bourgeois parties since it rendered minority governments (during which the centre-right opposition parties enjoyed more influence both in parliamentary committees and commissions of enquiry) more likely. Furthermore, the constitutional reform was an incentive for the bourgeois parties to cooperate more closely. Put differently, they could adopt an office-seeking strategy, which in turn facilitated a consensus on state funding to political parties. Prior to 1970, the Social Democrats electorally and organizationally dominated to an extent that allowed them to marginalize its competitors in questions of party funding. Exploiting the coordinative discourse on political corruption, the Social Democrats were able to discredit business donations to the bourgeois parties, leaving these no other choice than to agree to state funding.Less
The most important variable facilitating the Swedish parties' consensus on state funding was the constitutional reform of 1970. The constitutional reform strengthened the position of the bourgeois parties since it rendered minority governments (during which the centre-right opposition parties enjoyed more influence both in parliamentary committees and commissions of enquiry) more likely. Furthermore, the constitutional reform was an incentive for the bourgeois parties to cooperate more closely. Put differently, they could adopt an office-seeking strategy, which in turn facilitated a consensus on state funding to political parties. Prior to 1970, the Social Democrats electorally and organizationally dominated to an extent that allowed them to marginalize its competitors in questions of party funding. Exploiting the coordinative discourse on political corruption, the Social Democrats were able to discredit business donations to the bourgeois parties, leaving these no other choice than to agree to state funding.
Timothy Noël Peacock
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781526123268
- eISBN:
- 9781526138903
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9781526123268.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This chapter sets out the methodological framework, demonstrating through the study that there is a distinctive British tradition of minority government: parties in a hung parliament usually ...
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This chapter sets out the methodological framework, demonstrating through the study that there is a distinctive British tradition of minority government: parties in a hung parliament usually preferring minority to coalition governance, grounded in majoritarian rule and relying on examples from British history when formulating strategy, but open to pragmatic innovations in order to stay in power. Popular and scholarly myths surrounding the 1970s British Minority Governments show how some of the conclusions of existing historical and political science studies, documentaries, and television news, have helped to form and perpetuate these false assumptions. It is argued that this book’s interface with and challenges to existing international minority government theory provide the basis for a new perspective on British political history and minority governance globally.Less
This chapter sets out the methodological framework, demonstrating through the study that there is a distinctive British tradition of minority government: parties in a hung parliament usually preferring minority to coalition governance, grounded in majoritarian rule and relying on examples from British history when formulating strategy, but open to pragmatic innovations in order to stay in power. Popular and scholarly myths surrounding the 1970s British Minority Governments show how some of the conclusions of existing historical and political science studies, documentaries, and television news, have helped to form and perpetuate these false assumptions. It is argued that this book’s interface with and challenges to existing international minority government theory provide the basis for a new perspective on British political history and minority governance globally.
David Howell
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198203049
- eISBN:
- 9780191719530
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198203049.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
The Labour Party became a major political force in Britain during the 1920s. It unexpectedly entered office as a minority government in 1924; five years later as the largest party in the Commons it ...
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The Labour Party became a major political force in Britain during the 1920s. It unexpectedly entered office as a minority government in 1924; five years later as the largest party in the Commons it took office again. For many the party's enhanced status was associated closely with its leader, Ramsay MacDonald. The years of optimism were destroyed by rising unemployment; in August 1931, the second Labour Government faced pressures for public expenditure cuts in the midst of a financial crisis. The Government collapsed, and MacDonald led a new administration composed of erstwhile opponents and a few old colleagues. Labour went into opposition; an early election reduced it to a parliamentary rump. This study offers a uniquely detailed analysis of Labour in the 1920s based on a wide variety of unpublished sources. The emphasis is on the variety of cultural identities available within the party, and demonstrates how disputes over identity made a crucial contribution to the 1931 crisis.Less
The Labour Party became a major political force in Britain during the 1920s. It unexpectedly entered office as a minority government in 1924; five years later as the largest party in the Commons it took office again. For many the party's enhanced status was associated closely with its leader, Ramsay MacDonald. The years of optimism were destroyed by rising unemployment; in August 1931, the second Labour Government faced pressures for public expenditure cuts in the midst of a financial crisis. The Government collapsed, and MacDonald led a new administration composed of erstwhile opponents and a few old colleagues. Labour went into opposition; an early election reduced it to a parliamentary rump. This study offers a uniquely detailed analysis of Labour in the 1920s based on a wide variety of unpublished sources. The emphasis is on the variety of cultural identities available within the party, and demonstrates how disputes over identity made a crucial contribution to the 1931 crisis.
Robert Elgie
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199585984
- eISBN:
- 9780191729003
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199585984.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This chapter outlines the basic economic, social, historical, and international factors that affect the performance of democracy. It reviews the literature about the so-called perils of ...
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This chapter outlines the basic economic, social, historical, and international factors that affect the performance of democracy. It reviews the literature about the so-called perils of presidentialism and the virtues of parliamentarism. It sets out the standard wisdom about semi-presidentialism, showing that while semi-presidentialism has its supporters, there is a broad consensus that the disadvantages of semi-presidentialism, including the problems of cohabitation, divided minority government, and the divided executive, outweigh the advantages.Less
This chapter outlines the basic economic, social, historical, and international factors that affect the performance of democracy. It reviews the literature about the so-called perils of presidentialism and the virtues of parliamentarism. It sets out the standard wisdom about semi-presidentialism, showing that while semi-presidentialism has its supporters, there is a broad consensus that the disadvantages of semi-presidentialism, including the problems of cohabitation, divided minority government, and the divided executive, outweigh the advantages.
Balázs Vizi
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- September 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780198738459
- eISBN:
- 9780191801747
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198738459.003.0003
- Subject:
- Law, Human Rights and Immigration, Comparative Law
The chapter offers an overview of the historical development and ideological background of the idea of minority autonomy arrangements in Hungary. Minorities in Hungary—except for the Roma—are small ...
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The chapter offers an overview of the historical development and ideological background of the idea of minority autonomy arrangements in Hungary. Minorities in Hungary—except for the Roma—are small and largely assimilated. The adoption of a specific law on minority rights was a unique development in Central and Eastern Europe. The law created a special system of ‘minority self-governments’ both at local and at national levels, offering a directly elected representative structure with some autonomous competencies. Various problems emerged regarding the electoral procedures of these bodies and the respect for the free choice of identity. After 2010 a new constitution and a new law were adopted, making attempts to offer better guarantees, but leaving unchanged the system of minority autonomies. The chapter gives a critical evaluation of the new legal regulation and the experiences of the past twenty years of minority autonomy arrangements.Less
The chapter offers an overview of the historical development and ideological background of the idea of minority autonomy arrangements in Hungary. Minorities in Hungary—except for the Roma—are small and largely assimilated. The adoption of a specific law on minority rights was a unique development in Central and Eastern Europe. The law created a special system of ‘minority self-governments’ both at local and at national levels, offering a directly elected representative structure with some autonomous competencies. Various problems emerged regarding the electoral procedures of these bodies and the respect for the free choice of identity. After 2010 a new constitution and a new law were adopted, making attempts to offer better guarantees, but leaving unchanged the system of minority autonomies. The chapter gives a critical evaluation of the new legal regulation and the experiences of the past twenty years of minority autonomy arrangements.
Timothy Noël Peacock
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781526123268
- eISBN:
- 9781526138903
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9781526123268.003.0003
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This chapter identifies and analyses previously neglected strategic dilemmas confronted at the outset of the formation of Minority Governments by Wilson in 1974 and Callaghan in 1976. Challenging ...
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This chapter identifies and analyses previously neglected strategic dilemmas confronted at the outset of the formation of Minority Governments by Wilson in 1974 and Callaghan in 1976. Challenging pre-existing myths and assumptions, it shows that their establishment or continuation as Minority Governments were not necessarily inevitable. It is argued that alternative courses of action were considered by policymakers, including the prospects of an early election or a possible Labour coalition with the SDLP in 1976. The Conservative Opposition also played an important role in the formation of these different minority governments, from calls for institutional reform to contemplating a prospective Government of National Unity.Less
This chapter identifies and analyses previously neglected strategic dilemmas confronted at the outset of the formation of Minority Governments by Wilson in 1974 and Callaghan in 1976. Challenging pre-existing myths and assumptions, it shows that their establishment or continuation as Minority Governments were not necessarily inevitable. It is argued that alternative courses of action were considered by policymakers, including the prospects of an early election or a possible Labour coalition with the SDLP in 1976. The Conservative Opposition also played an important role in the formation of these different minority governments, from calls for institutional reform to contemplating a prospective Government of National Unity.
Timothy Noël Peacock
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781526123268
- eISBN:
- 9781526138903
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9781526123268.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This chapter aims to demonstrate that both Labour and the Conservatives were far more strategically proactive when approaching Minority Government in the 1970s than has been assumed in popular and ...
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This chapter aims to demonstrate that both Labour and the Conservatives were far more strategically proactive when approaching Minority Government in the 1970s than has been assumed in popular and scholarly accounts. The analysis of the strategy-making processes in both main parties provides new insights by drawing on a combination of recently released papers of bodies including Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet meetings, the No. 10 Policy Unit, the Conservative Research Department (CRD), and correspondence between party leaders and their respective advisers. The examination of the often-overlooked impact of Minority Governments on the formation of strategy ranges from the transformation of established institutions to such innovations as Conservative leader Edward Heath’s ‘Party Strategy Group’, created primarily as a response to the Wilson Minority Government in 1974.Less
This chapter aims to demonstrate that both Labour and the Conservatives were far more strategically proactive when approaching Minority Government in the 1970s than has been assumed in popular and scholarly accounts. The analysis of the strategy-making processes in both main parties provides new insights by drawing on a combination of recently released papers of bodies including Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet meetings, the No. 10 Policy Unit, the Conservative Research Department (CRD), and correspondence between party leaders and their respective advisers. The examination of the often-overlooked impact of Minority Governments on the formation of strategy ranges from the transformation of established institutions to such innovations as Conservative leader Edward Heath’s ‘Party Strategy Group’, created primarily as a response to the Wilson Minority Government in 1974.
Timothy Noël Peacock
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781526123268
- eISBN:
- 9781526138903
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9781526123268.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This chapter reveals Labour’s, and especially the Conservatives’, embryonic secret plans for future minority or coalition governments during the 1970s, devised in response to the possible absence of ...
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This chapter reveals Labour’s, and especially the Conservatives’, embryonic secret plans for future minority or coalition governments during the 1970s, devised in response to the possible absence of an overall majority in a general election. Both main parties considered or rejected wide-ranging proposals, from pre-electoral pacts to reforms aimed at facilitating minority or coalition government. Some of the new sources explored include Callaghan’s personal reflections on post-electoral strategy following a meeting with Steel in 1978, and papers from his political advisers, setting out starting points for prospective post-electoral coalition negotiations. Discussion of declassified Opposition research papers shows even more radical possibilities under consideration, whether the prospect of the Conservatives making a coalition deal with the UUP, SNP, or even a Grand Coalition with Labour.Less
This chapter reveals Labour’s, and especially the Conservatives’, embryonic secret plans for future minority or coalition governments during the 1970s, devised in response to the possible absence of an overall majority in a general election. Both main parties considered or rejected wide-ranging proposals, from pre-electoral pacts to reforms aimed at facilitating minority or coalition government. Some of the new sources explored include Callaghan’s personal reflections on post-electoral strategy following a meeting with Steel in 1978, and papers from his political advisers, setting out starting points for prospective post-electoral coalition negotiations. Discussion of declassified Opposition research papers shows even more radical possibilities under consideration, whether the prospect of the Conservatives making a coalition deal with the UUP, SNP, or even a Grand Coalition with Labour.
Timothy Noël Peacock
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781526123268
- eISBN:
- 9781526138903
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9781526123268.003.0010
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
The rereading of Minority Governments in 1970s Britain, through declassified papers and a wide range of publicly available sources, provides an invaluable perspective on subsequent British political ...
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The rereading of Minority Governments in 1970s Britain, through declassified papers and a wide range of publicly available sources, provides an invaluable perspective on subsequent British political history and, in particular, on the Conservative Minority Government formed, with DUP support, in June 2017. This chapter offers lessons from history on the potential challenges and opportunities confronting Theresa May’s Minority Government and the Labour Opposition led by Jeremy Corbyn. This study concludes by highlighting the significant longer-term implications for future political decision-making in Britain and other countries, as well as the potential impact on future scholarship and international minority government theory.Less
The rereading of Minority Governments in 1970s Britain, through declassified papers and a wide range of publicly available sources, provides an invaluable perspective on subsequent British political history and, in particular, on the Conservative Minority Government formed, with DUP support, in June 2017. This chapter offers lessons from history on the potential challenges and opportunities confronting Theresa May’s Minority Government and the Labour Opposition led by Jeremy Corbyn. This study concludes by highlighting the significant longer-term implications for future political decision-making in Britain and other countries, as well as the potential impact on future scholarship and international minority government theory.
Liam Weeks
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780719099601
- eISBN:
- 9781526138774
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719099601.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This chapter examines the role of independents in parliament, specifically in terms of their contribution to the formation and maintenance of governments, because this is where their influence is ...
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This chapter examines the role of independents in parliament, specifically in terms of their contribution to the formation and maintenance of governments, because this is where their influence is most obviously exhibited. There is a thick-descriptive account of each of the minority administrations that needed the votes of independents, in terms of the leverage wielded by the latter, and the consequences for the former, with a focus on their longevity and stability. Parliamentary roll-call data is used to measure the participation levels of the independents, to what extent they worked collectively as a team, and what level of support was offered to individual minority administrations. The analysis of the dynamics between independents and minority governments indicates that there is no one-size-fits-all model to describe such relationships. Instead, there have been four different types of arrangements, each of which are described in detail. In general, the stronger the working relationship between independents and the parties, the higher the level of support received from independents and the more stable the government.Less
This chapter examines the role of independents in parliament, specifically in terms of their contribution to the formation and maintenance of governments, because this is where their influence is most obviously exhibited. There is a thick-descriptive account of each of the minority administrations that needed the votes of independents, in terms of the leverage wielded by the latter, and the consequences for the former, with a focus on their longevity and stability. Parliamentary roll-call data is used to measure the participation levels of the independents, to what extent they worked collectively as a team, and what level of support was offered to individual minority administrations. The analysis of the dynamics between independents and minority governments indicates that there is no one-size-fits-all model to describe such relationships. Instead, there have been four different types of arrangements, each of which are described in detail. In general, the stronger the working relationship between independents and the parties, the higher the level of support received from independents and the more stable the government.
Rhiannon Vickers
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- July 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780719067440
- eISBN:
- 9781781700655
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719067440.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, UK Politics
This chapter focuses on the post-war period and the two Labour minority governments of 1924 and 1929–31 in Great Britain. During this period, the Labour Party had some considerable impact on British ...
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This chapter focuses on the post-war period and the two Labour minority governments of 1924 and 1929–31 in Great Britain. During this period, the Labour Party had some considerable impact on British views of internationalism, the arms trade, and the League of Nations. The post-war years saw a period of remarkable optimism about the ability to banish war and conflict through the rational application of international law and the operation of the League of Nations.Less
This chapter focuses on the post-war period and the two Labour minority governments of 1924 and 1929–31 in Great Britain. During this period, the Labour Party had some considerable impact on British views of internationalism, the arms trade, and the League of Nations. The post-war years saw a period of remarkable optimism about the ability to banish war and conflict through the rational application of international law and the operation of the League of Nations.
Timothy Noël Peacock
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781526123268
- eISBN:
- 9781526138903
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9781526123268.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
As a direct result of the state of minority government, both main parties in 1970s Britain, contrary to popular perceptions, conducted extensive planning for an election being called across a range ...
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As a direct result of the state of minority government, both main parties in 1970s Britain, contrary to popular perceptions, conducted extensive planning for an election being called across a range of different dates. This chapter reveals the evolving strategic dialogues through internal papers, including Callaghan ordering the preparation of contingency plans from 1977 onwards, in the event of an unexpected major legislative defeat and forced election. At the same time, it examines the wide-ranging efforts by the Conservatives to anticipate and plan for possible election dates. The chapter also addresses, in depth, the subject of electoral timing, which has generally been confined to brief discussions within overarching political histories or concise references in works on election campaigns.Less
As a direct result of the state of minority government, both main parties in 1970s Britain, contrary to popular perceptions, conducted extensive planning for an election being called across a range of different dates. This chapter reveals the evolving strategic dialogues through internal papers, including Callaghan ordering the preparation of contingency plans from 1977 onwards, in the event of an unexpected major legislative defeat and forced election. At the same time, it examines the wide-ranging efforts by the Conservatives to anticipate and plan for possible election dates. The chapter also addresses, in depth, the subject of electoral timing, which has generally been confined to brief discussions within overarching political histories or concise references in works on election campaigns.
Timothy Noël Peacock
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781526123268
- eISBN:
- 9781526138903
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9781526123268.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
Conservative plans for a coalition government, a snap General Election, Prime Ministers considering whether to resign after an electoral or referendum defeat, and the contemplation of both Labour and ...
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Conservative plans for a coalition government, a snap General Election, Prime Ministers considering whether to resign after an electoral or referendum defeat, and the contemplation of both Labour and Conservative deals with the Liberals, SNP and Northern Ireland Unionist parties, are all aspects readily identifiable in British politics since 2010, and once again following the hung parliament in June 2017. However, secret plans for all these different scenarios were drawn up by British political leaders and advisers in the 1970s. These documents challenge the mythology that dominates historical accounts, documentary films, and television news programmes, in particular, the contention that the minority governments of this era were weak, unthinking aberrations, alien to Britain’s otherwise strong majoritarian political traditions. Using declassified internal party files, this book provides new perspectives of the strategic response to minority government during the Wilson and Callaghan Administrations of the 1970s, reveals a previously unrecognized distinct British tradition of minority government that goes beyond established international minority government theory and practice, and shows how these antecedents might apply to minority government at Westminster in 2017. Employing a new model which includes historical-political interparty comparison, this work examines how both Labour Governments and Conservative Oppositions confronted challenges ranging from legislative management and electoral timing to planning for future minority or coalition governments. This study will be invaluable to all interested in minority government and British political history, from policymakers, students, and journalists to the general public.Less
Conservative plans for a coalition government, a snap General Election, Prime Ministers considering whether to resign after an electoral or referendum defeat, and the contemplation of both Labour and Conservative deals with the Liberals, SNP and Northern Ireland Unionist parties, are all aspects readily identifiable in British politics since 2010, and once again following the hung parliament in June 2017. However, secret plans for all these different scenarios were drawn up by British political leaders and advisers in the 1970s. These documents challenge the mythology that dominates historical accounts, documentary films, and television news programmes, in particular, the contention that the minority governments of this era were weak, unthinking aberrations, alien to Britain’s otherwise strong majoritarian political traditions. Using declassified internal party files, this book provides new perspectives of the strategic response to minority government during the Wilson and Callaghan Administrations of the 1970s, reveals a previously unrecognized distinct British tradition of minority government that goes beyond established international minority government theory and practice, and shows how these antecedents might apply to minority government at Westminster in 2017. Employing a new model which includes historical-political interparty comparison, this work examines how both Labour Governments and Conservative Oppositions confronted challenges ranging from legislative management and electoral timing to planning for future minority or coalition governments. This study will be invaluable to all interested in minority government and British political history, from policymakers, students, and journalists to the general public.
