Parties as Franchise Systems: The Stratarchical Organizational Imperative

The article begins by identifying a number of apparently dissonant characteristics of modern party organization, suggesting that they define patterns of internal organizational relationships that are more stratarchical than hierarchical. To provide a framework for analysing the structure and activit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Party politics 2004-01, Vol.10 (1), p.5-24
Main Author: Carty, R. Kenneth
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Factionalism
Franchising
Hierarchy
Leadership
Organizational Structure
Party membership
Party organization
Political Affiliation
Political Parties
Political science
Political Systems
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Summary:The article begins by identifying a number of apparently dissonant characteristics of modern party organization, suggesting that they define patterns of internal organizational relationships that are more stratarchical than hierarchical. To provide a framework for analysing the structure and activities of stratarchical parties, the article develops a franchise model of party organization. After identifying the essential elements of the franchise party, and particularly the contract that defines it, the article points to how the model elucidates the distinctive character of factionalism, membership and leadership in modern political parties.
ISSN:1354-0688
1460-3683
DOI:10.1177/1354068804039118