The consequences of partisanship in Africa

Since its development by Angus Campbell and his colleagues (1960), the concept of partisan identification has been the subject of a number of important debates. Some scholars have questioned whether it really exists independently of voting preferences, especially outside of the United States (Gunther, Montero, & Puhle, 2006). Others have questioned whether partisanship is only a result of “long term” structural and demographic forces (as posited by Campbell et al.), or responds to more “medium term” factors relating to citizens’ evolving perceptions of the attributes and performance of alternative political parties (Key, 1967; Fiorina, 1981).