Party system change: The catch‐all thesis revisited

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Abstract
This article re‐examines Kirchheimer's catch‐all thesis in the light of recent discussions by Smith and Mair. Kirchheimer is best understood as presenting an argument about the changing ways in which parties appeal to voters and the effect on links between citizens and government. Although transition to a catch‐all party is often taken as a general phenomenon, Kirchheimer argues that only certain parties will change in this way. How parties adapt depends on perceived needs, internal politics and the political market in which they operate. Parties in multi‐party, issue‐oriented markets will evolve as programmatic parties. Vulnerability of parties reflects not only their organisation but also exposure to the media and a failure to exploit innovative techniques.

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