The correlates of consensus democracy and the puzzle of Dutch politics

Bibliographic Data

ID6407795
AuthorsPeter Mair (0000-0002-1408-3762, Leiden University, corresponding author)
Year1994
Volume17
Issue4
Pages97-123
Publication date1994-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueWest European Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0140-2382 • E-ISSN: 1743-9655
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01402389408425045
OpenAlexW1980610002
LanguageEN
Citations received26
References cited27

In much of the comparative literature, and in the work of Arend Lijphart in particular, the Netherlands often emerges as a 'special case' of accom‐modationist politics, a picture which is confirmed not only in terms of Lijphart's distinction between majoritarian and consensus democracy, but is also the case when more policy‐based indicators are considered. This is somewhat puzzling, since, in comparative terms at least, the Dutch case is now no longer especially marked by the sorts of features which are generally believed to promote a more consensual style in politics. This puzzle is partly solved, however, by a more updated analysis of the comparative data, which reveals that the Netherlands no longer actually leads the field in terms of consensualism, but has since been surpassed by several other countries. In fact, the more recent evidence now suggests that neither the conditions nor the practice of consensual politics are much in evidence in the Netherlands

Comparative politics · Democracy · Economics · Field (mathematics · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Style (visual arts · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · European Union Policy and Governance · History · Law · Populism, Right-Wing Movements

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