Matthews, F. orcid.org/0000-0002-3248-5386 and Flinders, M. (2017) Patterns of democracy: Coalition governance and majoritarian modification in the United Kingdom, 2010–2015. British Politics, 12 (2). pp. 157-182. ISSN 1746-918X
Abstract
The UK is often regarded as the archetype of Westminster democracy and as the empirical antithesis of the power-sharing coalitions of Western Europe. Yet, in recent years a different account has emerged that focuses on the subtler institutional dynamics which limit the executive. It is to this body of scholarship that this article responds, locating the recent chapter of coalition government within the wider context of the UK’s democratic evolution. To do so, the article draws Lijphart’s two-dimensional typology of democracies, developing a refined framework that enables systematic comparison over time. The article demonstrates that between over the course of the 2010-15 Parliament, the UK underwent another period of majoritarian modification, driven by factors including the long-term influence of the constitutional forces unleashed under Labour and the short-term impact of coalition management. The article makes several important contributions, salient in the UK and beyond. Theoretically, it offers a critical rejoinder to debates regarding the relationship between institutional design and democratic performance. Methodologically, it demonstrates that the tools of large-scale comparison can be effectively scaled-down to facilitate withincase analysis. Empirically, it provides a series of conclusions regarding the tenability of the UK’s extant democratic architecture under the weight of pressures to which it continues to be subject.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2016. This is an author produced version of a paper subsequently published in British Politics. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Government; Constitution; Conservative; Liberal Democrat; Lijphart; Majoritarianism |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) > Department of Politics and International Relations (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number BRITISH ACADEMY (THE) SG131355 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 09 Nov 2016 09:30 |
Last Modified: | 29 Nov 2017 01:38 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41293-016-0041-5 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Palgrave Macmillan UK |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1057/s41293-016-0041-5 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:106993 |