Why do party systems tend to be so stable? A review of rationalists’ contributions

• Main Author: Erlingsson, Gissur Ó
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Linköpings universitet, Centrum för kommunstrategiska studier – CKS 2009
• Subjects: Party systems; ‘freezing hypothesis’; party formation; stability; Social Sciences; Samhällsvetenskap; Halda; Vanda; Sanna; Iceland
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-21365

The purpose of this research note is to demonstrate the usefulness ofrational choice models in making party‐system stability intelligible. First, the ‘problemof collective action among potential party‐entrepreneurs’ makes it puzzling that newpolitical parties emerge at all. Secondly, if the original...