Radical Left Parties in Europe

330 Pages·2011·3.01 MB·English

by  Luke March

Radical Left Parties in Europe
What has happened to the European radical left since the collapse of the USSR?
How has it reacted, reformed, even revived? This new volume is one of the first
to provide an overview of the main developments in contemporary European
radical left parties (those defining themselves as to the left of, and not merely on
the left of social democracy), which are now an increasingly visible phenomenon
in European party politics. Unlike many of the existing studies it focuses on
communist and non-communist parties, addresses their non-parliamentary and
international activity, and takes a pan-European perspective, focusing on both
Eastern and Western Europe.
March focuses on key contemporary radical left parties, the nature of their
radicalism and their ideological and strategic positions and, overall, addresses
their current dynamics and immediate electoral prospects. The book argues that
radical radical left parties are still afflicted by existential crises about the nature
of ‘socialism’, and the future of communist parties in particular is under threat.
The most successful left parties are no longer extremist, but present themselves
as defending values and policies that social democrats have allegedly
abandoned, focus on pragmatism rather than ideology and increasingly orientate
themselves towards government.
Providing a significant contribution to existing literature in the field, this book
will be of interest to students and scholars of comparative politics, political
parties and radical politics.
Luke March is Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Edinburgh. His
research interests include European left parties and post-Soviet politics.
Routledge Studies in Extremism and Democracy Series Editors: Roger
Eatwell, University of Bath, and Matthew Goodwin, University of Nottingham.
Founding Series Editors: Roger Eatwell, University of Bath and Cas Mudde,
University of Antwerp-UFSIA.
This series encompasses academic studies within the broad fields of ‘extremism’
and ‘democracy’. These topics have traditionally been considered largely in
isolation by academics. A key focus of the series, therefore, is the (inter-)relation
between extremism and democracy. Works will seek to answer questions such as
to what extent ‘extremist’ groups pose a major threat to democratic parties, or
how democracy can respond to extremism without undermining its own
democratic credentials.
The books encompass two strands:
Routledge Studies in Extremism and Democracy includes books with an
introductory and broad focus which are aimed at students and teachers. These
books will be available in hardback and paperback. Titles include:
1. Understanding Terrorism in America From the Klan to al Qaeda
Christopher Hewitt 2. Fascism and the Extreme Right
Roger Eatwell
3. Racist Extremism in Central and Eastern Europe Edited by Cas Mudde
4. Political Parties and Terrorist Groups (2nd Edition) Leonard Weinberg,
Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger 5. The New Extremism in 21st Century
Britain Edited by Roger Eatwell and Matthew Goodwin 6. New British
Fascism: Rise of the British National Party Matthew Goodwin
7. The End of Terrorism?
Leonard Weinberg
Routledge Research in Extremism and Democracy offers a forum for innovative
new research intended for a more specialist readership. These books will be in
hardback only. Titles include:
1. Uncivil Society?
Contentious politics in post-Communist Europe Edited by Petr Kopecky and
Cas Mudde 2. Political Parties and Terrorist Groups Leonard Weinberg
and Ami Pedahzur 3. Western Democracies and the New Extreme Right
Challenge Edited by Roger Eatwell and Cas Mudde 4. Confronting Right
Wing Extremism and Terrorism in the USA George Michael
5. Anti-Political Establishment Parties A comparative analysis
Amir Abedi
6. American Extremism
History, politics and the militia
D. J. Mulloy
7. The Scope of Tolerance
Studies on the costs of free expression and freedom of the press Raphael
Cohen-Almagor
8. Extreme Right Activists in Europe Through the magnifying glass
Bert Klandermans and Nonna Mayer 9. Ecological Politics and Democratic
Theory Mathew Humphrey
10. Reinventing the Italian Right Territorial politics, populism and ‘post-
fascism’
Carlo Ruzza and Stefano Fella
11. Political Extremes
An investigation into the history of terms and concepts from antiquity to the
present Uwe Backes
12. The Populist Radical Right in Poland The Patriots
Rafal Pankowski
13. Social and Political Thought of Julius Evola Paul Furlong
14. Radical Left Parties in Europe Luke March
15. Counterterrorism in Turkey Policy choices and policy effects toward the
Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Mustafa Coşar Ünal
Radical Left Parties in Europe
Luke March
First published 2011 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2011 Luke March
The right of Luke March to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with
the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any
electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used
only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the
British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data March, Luke.
Radical left parties in Europe / Luke March.
p. cm.—(Routledge studies in extremism and democracy ; 14) Includes bibliographical references and
index.
ISBN 978–0–415–42560–5 (hbk.)—
ISBN 978–0–203–15487–8 (ebk.)
1. Political parties—Europe. 2. Radicalism—Europe.
3. Right and left (Political science)—Europe.
4. Communist parties—Europe. 5. Socialist parties—Europe. I. Title.
JN50.M37 2011
324.2'17094—dc23
2011022525
ISBN 13: 978–0–415–42560–5 (hbk)
ISBN 13: 978–0–203–15487–8 (ebk)
For Sara
Contents
List of illustrations
Acknowledgements
List of abbreviations
1 Introduction
2 From communist crisis to post-communist mutation
3 The Western European communists: perpetual crisis?
4 The fall and (partial) rise of the Eastern European communists
5 Modern democratic socialists or old-style social democrats?
6 Left-wing populism: populist socialists and social populists
7 Transnational party organizations: towards a new International?
8 Parties and the wider movement
9 Explaining electoral success and failure (with Charlotte Rommerskirchen)
10 Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Illustrations
Tables
1.1 Relevant European radical left parties in parliamentary elections, 1990–
2010
1.2 European parliamentary elections: comparative ‘niche party’ performance,
1989–2009
1.3 Subtypes of relevant European RLPs
2.1 Percentage of national parliamentary vote for communist parties, 1918–
1940
2.2 Average West European communist party electoral performance, 1945–
1989
3.1 Relevant West European communist parties in parliamentary elections,
1990–2011
4.1 Relevant East European communist parties in parliamentary elections,
1990–2011
5.1 Relevant democratic socialist parties in pan-European parliamentary
elections, 1990–2011
6.1 Relevant populist socialist parties in pan-European parliamentary elections,
1990–2011
6.2 Relevant social populist parties in pan-European parliamentary elections,
1990–2011
7.1 European affiliation of relevant radical left parties (2011)
7.2 European parliamentary elections: RLP performance and seats
9.1 Countries and parties examined
9.2 Summary of dependent variables
9.3 MAT and POSTMAT issue preference and the electoral success of RLPs
9.4 EU membership opposition and globalization anxiety (partial correlations)
9.5 Summary of independent variables
9.6 External determinants of RLP electoral success
9.7 Ideology and RLP electoral success
10.1 RLP government participation after 1990
Figure
3.1 The PCF and extreme left in French elections 1989–2009