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Comparing Class‐Related Opinions between MP Candidates and Party Supporters: Evidence from Finland
Author(s) -
Forma Pauli
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
scandinavian political studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.65
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1467-9477
pISSN - 0080-6757
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9477.00033
Subject(s) - grassroots , parliament , mediation , political science , politics , conformity , representation (politics) , class (philosophy) , social psychology , public relations , public administration , political economy , law , sociology , psychology , epistemology , philosophy
This article examines whether and to what extent opinions on class‐related issues coincide between MP candidates and party supporters in Finland. This strategy is used to approach the mediation of interests from grassroots level to the level of political decision making. In theory, adverse selection and moral hazard problems are identified to have serious implications for the mediation process. Furthermore, the representation role adopted by members of parliament is assumed to be significant in the mediation of interests. Attitudes of the candidates in the 1995 parliamentary elections in Finland and those of citizens are compared empirically. The results indicate that the attitudes of the citizens are not necessarily the same as those of their representatives, i.e. the mediation of interests is not self‐evident. A more detailed analysis shows that the candidate’s gender, education and adopted representation role can be important as regards the conformity of the candidate’s attitudes with those of citizens. Findings also reveal that class struggle is tougher at the level of candidates than at the level of party supporters. Differences in opinions are wider among candidates of the political parties than among party supporters.