Neither Older nor Wiser? What Continual Party Change Means for the Quality of Democracy

Abstract

New party emergence poses major questions for the quality of democracy. New parties can help remove incompetent and corrupt politicians from power, re-engage citizens, represent neglected interests and issues, respond to changes in society, and provoke established parties to perform better. But new party emergence can also bring into public office inexperienced individuals offering easy and unworkable solutions to society’s woes. When they fail to deliver, they can further undermine trust in democracy, and fuel cynicism and disillusionment in politics more broadly. New parties may be responsive, but they are less likely to be responsible. Moreover, new parties tend to focus on the present, with a series of shorter-term goals. With their longer-term time horizons, well-developed and institutionalized parties are much more likely to help foster environments conducive to the innovation and technological progress integral to long-run economic development.