The Strategy of Party Competition

在先前对影响政策制定的政党竞争模式的研究中，研究人员假设，政党要么寻求尽可能接近优先地位地执行政策，要么采取政策立场，试图最大化他们在选举中的支持。首席调查员之前的理论工作表明，这两个因素都与多党民主政体中的政党竞争有关。在这项调查中，研究人员将利用博弈论和社会选择的最新理论分析，以及关于政党政策的实证工作，构建一个多党民主国家(主要是欧洲国家)政治竞争的一般模型。事实证明，这些国家的联盟政治很难从一般理论角度进行分析。然而，仔细研究其中一些国家(包括德国、荷兰、比利时、意大利、瑞典、丹麦)政党所宣布的政策立场，可以更清楚地了解这些国家的党派间谈判和谈判进程，从而形成政府联盟。这项研究应对政策执行进程和政治进程的稳定性提供具有普遍有效性的见解。

In prior research on models of political party competition as it affects policy formulation, researchers have assumed either that parties seek to implement policy as close to a preferred position as possible, or that they adopt policy positions in an attempt to maximize their electoral support. Prior theoretical work by the Principal Investigator suggests that both considerations are relevant for party competition in multiparty democracies. In this investigation the researchers will draw on recent theoretical analyses using game theory and social choice as well as empirical work on party policies to construct a general model of political competition in multiparty democracies, principally in European countries. Coalition politics in such countries has proved very difficult to analyze from a general theoretical perspective. However, careful study of the declared policy positions of parties in a number of these countries (including Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Sweden, Denmark) has provided a clearer picture of the process of inter-party negotiation and bargaining and hence of government coalition formation in these countries. This research should provide insights that are of general validity on the process of policy implementation and on the stability of the political process.