Manchester University Press
5 The ‘earthquake elections’ of 1970–73 and the emergence of new party types
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David Arter
Abstract
The so-called 'earthquake elections', first in Finland and then in Denmark and Norway between 1970 and 1973, constituted a root-and-branch challenge to the unidimensional Scandinavian party system model and the old mould appeared irrevocably broken. This chapter presents essential background material and asks whether the ground-breaking elections of 1970-1973 created lasting fissures in the Scandinavian party systems and, if so, what new party types have emerged. The increase in legislative parties was not confined to the seismic early 1970s. The chapter concentrates on profiling four new 'party families' that since then have both institutionalised their position and lent the party political spectrum added 'dimensionality'. The eco-socialist parties and new radical rightist parties have been relatively easy to locate on a left-right continuum, whereas the placement of the Greens and new Christian parties, embodying post-materialist and anti-secularist values, respectively, has been more problematical.
Abstract
The so-called 'earthquake elections', first in Finland and then in Denmark and Norway between 1970 and 1973, constituted a root-and-branch challenge to the unidimensional Scandinavian party system model and the old mould appeared irrevocably broken. This chapter presents essential background material and asks whether the ground-breaking elections of 1970-1973 created lasting fissures in the Scandinavian party systems and, if so, what new party types have emerged. The increase in legislative parties was not confined to the seismic early 1970s. The chapter concentrates on profiling four new 'party families' that since then have both institutionalised their position and lent the party political spectrum added 'dimensionality'. The eco-socialist parties and new radical rightist parties have been relatively easy to locate on a left-right continuum, whereas the placement of the Greens and new Christian parties, embodying post-materialist and anti-secularist values, respectively, has been more problematical.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables vii
- Preface ix
- List of abbreviations xi
-
Part I Scandinavia past and present
- 1 The eight quills of the swan 3
- 2 Nation-building and state-building, 1809–1944 25
-
Part II Parties in developmental perspective
- 3 The emergence of the Scandinavian party system(s) 51
- 4 The historic strengths of the five main types of party 72
-
Part III Parties, voters and social change: w(h)ither the Scandinavian party system model?
- 5 The ‘earthquake elections’ of 1970–73 and the emergence of new party types 101
- 6 Party system change since 1970 133
-
Part IV The Nordic model
- 7 A Nordic model of government? 151
- 8 The Nordic welfare model 170
-
Part V Legislative–executive relations in the Nordic region
- 9 The Nordic parliaments 193
- 10 ‘Fairly strong standing committees’ and ‘influential party groups’ – a distinctively Nordic mix? 209
- 11 Nordic government(s) 229
-
Part VI The strategic security environment
- 12 The changing security environment of the Nordic region 259
- 13 ‘Reluctant Nordics’, ‘reluctant Europeans’, but ‘moral superpowers’? 297
- Epilogue 340
- Index 344
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables vii
- Preface ix
- List of abbreviations xi
-
Part I Scandinavia past and present
- 1 The eight quills of the swan 3
- 2 Nation-building and state-building, 1809–1944 25
-
Part II Parties in developmental perspective
- 3 The emergence of the Scandinavian party system(s) 51
- 4 The historic strengths of the five main types of party 72
-
Part III Parties, voters and social change: w(h)ither the Scandinavian party system model?
- 5 The ‘earthquake elections’ of 1970–73 and the emergence of new party types 101
- 6 Party system change since 1970 133
-
Part IV The Nordic model
- 7 A Nordic model of government? 151
- 8 The Nordic welfare model 170
-
Part V Legislative–executive relations in the Nordic region
- 9 The Nordic parliaments 193
- 10 ‘Fairly strong standing committees’ and ‘influential party groups’ – a distinctively Nordic mix? 209
- 11 Nordic government(s) 229
-
Part VI The strategic security environment
- 12 The changing security environment of the Nordic region 259
- 13 ‘Reluctant Nordics’, ‘reluctant Europeans’, but ‘moral superpowers’? 297
- Epilogue 340
- Index 344
