Talk:Elite party

Notes, July 12/2010

Elite parties

Local notable: Goals-

• Traditional elite representing geographically defined constituency

Electoral strategy-

• Gain botes though appeals to local interests and authority of local notables

Organizational structure and linkages-

• None except for the personal resources of the candidate and the sumbolic appeal of the party label

Social base- Loacal and heterogeneous

Clientelistic: Goals-

• Defense of particularistic interests and status quo

Elecotoral Strategy-

• Gain votes though hierarchical structure linking local to national leaders through exchange of particularistic benefits.

Organizational structure and linkages-

• Vertical networks of loyalty and exchange between voters and local party elites; factional ties and shared material interests between local and national elites.

Social base-

• Rural constituencies, lower classes, less well educated, urban migrants.

Elite parties are those whose principal organizational structures are minimal and based upon established elites within a specific geographic area. Deference to the authority of these elites is a feature shared by two species of parties that fall within this genus. Whatever national-level party structure exists is based upon an alliance among locally based elites.

Political parties and democracy By Larry Jay Diamond, Richard Gunther