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Joining the party: Incentives and motivations of members and registered sympathizers in contemporary multi-speed membership parties

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Abstract

Many parties have updated their recruitment strategies and offer softer routes for joining their ranks. In some parties, registered sympathizers are given virtually the same rights as traditional members with substantially lower costs. This begs the question, why would somebody take the further step of joining such parties as full members rather than sympathizers? This article analyzes this question by using membership surveys from three left-wing Spanish parties. As such, it explores the usefulness of the general incentives model (GIM) for explaining the decisions of these two groups of affiliates. We find that full members and sympathizers differ in the motives they have to join the party and in their evaluations of the diverse types of incentives included in the GIM. Candidate selection incentives seem particularly important for sympathizers, whereas selective outcome incentives, selective process benefits, collective outcome benefits and altruistic motivations play a more significant role for members.
Joining the Party: Incentives and Motivations of Members and
Registered Sympathisers in Contemporary Multi-speed
Membership Parties
This is the accepted version of an article published in Party Politics. For referencing
purposes, please use the published version.


 
!"#$%
Abstract
&$$&'$(
#'&)*+'$&
  '    &    '&    $  %  ,&
%,*-&%'&.,&,$%$
)&&#'&%&&
&/-&&.%'%&
 & 0,' & * " & 1 &
    &    +  $  2+3    1'  &
$&,'(*45$&%$
&$(&&&#'&$
&&$$$&+*
$$            
& ,&     
%5   %5 $   
'5%*
Keywords
%&6&66!'6
+$
Introduction
4& $ &, $  #  / "$,& $ &
$'    ''  $        /  -&
$ , ( & , $$
&$$$ 1&.*&$&
%&%'%$*-&
&  $  &    %5    %&  $5$  &
$%,77$$
%2, 89996 ,   89996# 89:;6  $
89:<6 &89:<6$ 89:<6,89:<3$&
&  ,$  &  $  $ 5      %& 2
=  $  #  89:<3*    &  $5$  &      
%,&',(&'&
'$  $   & 2 & 89:<6
#89:<6 , 89:<3* 0$ %&  
(  $$    '          #  &    %  
$  ,  & $& $ ' &   )
 $ 2, 89:<3* > $' &  %5 $
%&&)$(5
%  $'  $$  ,&    $    %'
  % % '& % $ %  ?1%
0$,&&&#&
?&@$20$89:A6"&
 89:B3*  >  &  &'      &   %    '
&   %&'&* -& & .
,&  $  $$    #      %  &  &
&0$%&'/
+&,&&%,$$0$0
2('$((3$0
$  $$0    $      @    
$&,&(%&*-&
%$*@289:B3'$0%)',)%$
  '    $$  &  %,  '    
&$%'%,&
  $    &  1  $$  #    &
(&&,$'*-&&
. C 4& $  $$ $$  #   
%  ,&  &    &      (  &  
%'    &/  4&    &    %&$  &
$/ 4&  $ &  ($ %    &/
"$    &    .        $  
/
1
-  ,  &  .  ,    $  $  4&@  2:DD83
  +  $     '  $        
$%$ '$ & &0
$%&',&&&0,'
 2E$ 4 @3  ' & & ,
&% 2  3C  
2+  $  3        2+F  +  
0  3  $  &  '   * 4    & 
+  $  %        ,$        &
 & $ & % $   $( 1
$*
+&1',5)&&&&$1%$
    &    ,&    #  *  -&  ,  %?
 )   &  $ $ 1  $
'*"&,5$'$
&    *  G  &  5$  &  %  $  '$
&$(&')$
,&$ $ 4&@ 2:DD83,) &'  $
  1  &  $'*  %  $  &  $(
'$'  &    $  %        
  %5  $$        
%5$*G5$'%&,$
%,'$$@&%&
$*
Understanding why and how citizens join parties
  %&          $  &)'  %  
$$?$%&'$&,'&$
%&&,$$2,89996>
89:86=$#89:<64%%$&89:A3*=,
$$ # %  %& 
&2=$#89:<3*$$'%&
'&$&&$
&    '*  >$  $$0  &  &  
0  2*'* ' $ H3 ,&& &
'%&, && %%# 
'2F%:DD<3&$%&
)'&$$%&&*"G
2:DI<3  '      (    %5 $  &
(%*G2:DI<3),$'&
(&E$$0
'$@*=,'&$$'&
#%&& (&& 
&%5 & #% $$ ' 
$$52''
$ ' 3* +  & % & &  
     *  G 2:DI<C I93 & 
2
  %&   $$  E $&
$ & &' %#@* =,& &' $
0&$*-&
1&1&%&%
G@$),1',&
  #  '    ,&&        
&  2&  :DD9C  <9:3*      1
.$1%&*
"&2:DD93&,
  )      >@  2:DA93  01    G@  2:DI<3
E$1@* &%$$
%5#' '& % & #'
,*    &        $$  $'     
0%5'&% ,& 
  ''%  2>  :DA93*  "  &%'  2:DD83  &,  &  
    #'      1  &  
%&$$*$>$'2$&
$$@  '  &  $'         %  
  &    03        &  1  $
    &        $$'  $$@
$*E@$'$
)1'%&*
-&  '5                  &  
5$'    &  ?  &  %  $  $  4&  2:DD86
4&   :DDJ3*+$$  $   $
&    $  %5        '&  %  6  %
$$'  %& . )'  $
& ,$  * $ $ 4& & $
&&+$2+3$
&    $  &  &  .$  &      $
1$$
2    89:B3*  -&  $  $  &      
C 3  ,&& % ,C 
2%5  &    %         
&    '  %      '  )0$$  3  $
  2    $  ,&  $'      
36  %3     ,&&  $    
2&'&''3
$  '  (  2,&&  $    &)'  &  &    
)$(36$3 ,&&$
      2%5  $'    '    &
1$%&@,)3
$(&$5*+
)'7&
*
4& 2:DDJ35$&'$
$  $'        $%      1'  &
$    #  $       *  +    
3
    $    &      
1'    %&          ,&&  
&'&  &  ?      ,)  $      
.*  -&            $  
&%$ %'& 2*'*K'$
89986'& $ & 899J6 $  899J6 =$ 89:<3*
   289:B3 ,&  & 5  $ 
  $ & $( %, $ % 
&    >&      $$  &    $  
'$1$$
%1',&#*4&&
& $( %,   2 ,& ' 
$53$%&5$&&&'&
'  (  '  1  $  $  '  
  &  &  *      &  &  &$    
$$ 
?$  %      $        &      
%&&%289:B3*
4&&$%7&
    289:B3    &  $(  %,  %  $  0
% 7  &    &    &    &  $(  %,
    %    0$  %&  *  +  '
'$&$&,,
$&%24%%89:A3*-&&
%&  '$    &  $    $5  
,)    &   % 2 $
''$    '@  2:D<A3  $          
3*  &   , & $( %,
&  $    %  '&    %  1$  %  &  +
$*  =,  ,  $    %    $  &    0$
%&$'&&,&$
7&7'&%&&$%
    ,      &    2,  89:<3*  -&  ,    
($$'$,
5  $  $  *    @  (    ,
&  %,  $(  %&  $  $  '&  )  
$ & %5L %  & $(  %
$$'&,#20$* 89:AC 8;J0<3*
1$    5$  $$  $(    '  
%&(',$
%      (  &    #      &  
%5  ($      %  $    $  &,
&  &        &    20$    89:AC  8<:3*
-& &'  %& $  &  
$,    '    &  $    %'    1&'    
'2$3%5*-&.&,&
,$  %$  )  &  &      #'          
%/
4
 %&  %   &  )  
$$,&*-&&
) %$% %5 , $
'1&&,&#
'$  &*  -&  '&    ,    
%&  &  &  ,&  $      %    
%'&%?$%&2> 89:D3* 
%'&&&
  &  %5    %''      '    )0$$  $$
2  %53 $ $  ?  &
% $'   2 3 0 &'&
&)$$&&&&@
,&& & '$ &1 & 
2**,&&&'3*
4&& %  & & &% &,
1&$(%,%$0%&
  $$   &     
0$  %&  C      $0)'
*  +    ,&  $0)'    $'
$$          %&    %  $  '$
&  &            
%&    20$    89:AC  8;D3
'&,&$&
*,&%%$%&
1  $  &'  ,$    %&    ,  
  & %  ? @ ) $
&'&  ,0    &    )      
$&&1&%&
,&&&'*
-    ,  1  & $(  %,    %  $
&%&$%&,&
' & $( %,   $ % ,&
$&'&02*'*$$
4&89:864%%89:A689:B3*=,0
$ %&  $$    
      1'  ,&    $$    #    &
&&%*+$$,&&%
$&'&0&,$$#
&$&$*+
$$        #    '  &    &
%5'& %& ,&  &'&0  %&*
-&%,%) &&
&      $$        &  $  
%%*-C
!"#!$%&
'(( ( ( 
(
5
    ()  *!"+      
()*!,+
'(( (  (
  (            
        -    
*!$+
!./!0&&
'((((
(
()*!.+1
- *!0+1
!2/!3& &
'(( ( ( 
  (            
  *!2+1        
--        (-  4
*  +  *!5+1          6  
 *!3+
!7&    '          -  (1  
((((
+&&&&$&,&$'
  (    &  $(    ($  %  0$
%&  % '($ %  &
 $   $ %& & 2   
89:B&,&%*$53*-&
5$',$&%&1'$&&,
&&&$$'&&'&
&'$%
'2:D<A32*'*$89:A3*
Cases, Data, and Operationalization
4$&%&$$89:B
'%$'$&&0,'&
C+ +F$ .*"  & $  & &
$$%1.
&%% 0$*-&, 
&&&'*
4&&&1$5$'%
'&$1
*
6
-&  &    $  $      0$  %&
'*  -&      0,'    2    0$
%&$&$$''&0,'3*
&'&&&
$   ' *G &  &
      $    $
#',&2&0,'3
&&*+0,$$0'
'  $    :DBI          $  %  &
*+$&&'&&
&$ & $0    &  $$ ,&
&%$0
,&,2'&
*3*+F$:DBA%&
    &        *  +F  ,
')$  + :DDA,& %$$*
    0,$ $ '  $ 
89::  &   -& * + %'  &   &
$+F$.%&
*  -&  &    &  %        '  
'$ $ *-& & $$
0$'%
&,'&&$%'
*
+ '  + $ +F & & &   &
$2&%$
0&$&'&&1
,  %&3* + $ +F & $ '
&:DD9,&.,&&,$$89::
,$%0$%&*+,'&
5  &      &,          '0
$          $  2  1
&$'$
&        $$3*  "&'&  &  
  ,  $  2  $  F'  89:;3  &
&    0$  %&    ,  5$
*+F$.&&%$'
    '*  '$  &  &  1$  
%&'2+F&$&:DD93$&%&
&$$$()$'0$$*
&'$&&&'&
&$$,
  &      &      $  
$'$'*4&&#' %
.$&''&
06'$++F$. &$
    &  ,  *  +    &  '    1
%&$% ,&& 
'$20$89:A3&$$&
7
  %&  $  $      %5  ,&  $'
(*
$    &    &  '  %$    
$        $    &    %      %
    '  %      ,    @    
%,&$2$89:J6>89:<6
$89:A3*-&&
,&&  $        ,  '&$  '  .
.  $  $    &$*  -&  &  ,  
%  '& 0%$'  %,  (
$&$&*:
"'$$)&.,
  &  %  $  &    ,&&  &  ,    %
$$*-&,%&&$
 ,& $  '$ & $
''$ %& $&*+ ,& JBJ;
 & & ;;B;  %$ :JI9
  '$    &*8     &  5$,)  $
%-%:%,*;
-%:* $,)

+ . +F
%,&
%
$$
:<DAI :I:< ;B8I
%@

8;9J2:J*JM3 <892;;*8M3 <<D2:J*IM3
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  4%  89:BC  <6  $      89:BC  A3  $  '  %
2E+,$%@32$$$$
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'$&E>'%'$,'@
2$$4&:DD8C8J<3*
         $  %      $1
%',)&&$
&  ,'  ,      #'  &  C  E+  ,$  
4 +  & ,  0$ *  ' $$ 
&&$1$$&"$1*
9
%&'&'+$@24%89:BC<3
$E+,$&@*<
+$$&$,$&
  &    &    %        0
%& C    -&  $ &'&
.  ,&  $    &  $    
'    $$  2E+  ,$    ?  &    
@$$@3*
     $  %    %  '  &  $@
$'    '  ,&  &    &  E4&  %  $
'&  $  ,)  '&  &    &'  &  @  2$ $
4&:DD8C8J;3*
9$&'&)&)$
%&' ,&$
#$  &    2E+  ,$    %    $@3  2$$  
4%89:BC<6$89:BCI3*
-&  ?      $  ,)    $  &'&  
%  '    ,&&      & $@  
$ ., $ $ & ,& &
#$2$$4&:DD8CI<3*I
6 $%)'$
%  &      &    $5  2'    0
$ % ,& :   $5$ ,& &  8 ,&
$5$;.$5$ $ J  & $5$3 2  
89:B3*
-&      $  &'&    )    '
',&&CE"$'',)'
$%'@2$$4&:DD8C8J<3*A
5  '    ,  %  +* -&
.  )$  %  &      O5'&'  &   $  &  P
,&#'&* &+%$&'%,&
&$$&$1*
6 -&1,$',E:-41-- ( *1
1+1-1; 
<=  289:B3%'' '
$% , $ &  .  & )   & 
?,)%*
7 $$4&2:DD83$$&$@$'
',&&&E),@
@*  &  &  .  ,$'  $    &  &    &$  
$()$$$-),
  &  *  -&    &  &    $  &      
2,&&%&'&&,&&'&03&
&$@&'$,$$$
$*4$&,&,&$'%&&
$1*
10
,&%&&% $  %
& 1 $ $
5  & + % &   $2F
F%    :DD<3*  +    ,  $  '$  2%  %
,&  :      $  9    3  '  2  3  $  2%
%  ,&  :  $    $$  ,&  &  $$
  $  9      &  $$3    ,)  
2'  %  ,&  &  'C  :  ,)'  8  $  
  $  ;  0  $3*  4        $'
1,&&,>@2:DA93$$$$
$'&+7&'&(
'52*'*4&:DDJ3*-&$&
$$%,&$@0$$$'$
&      &  @  $'  2  %  ''
  9    $    :9  1  $3*  4      
    (  $  %    <0    '
$@',&&E)&
?&$'$@2$$
4&  :DD8C  8JJ3*  +  $$  ,      %&  '&
2%$#$ & 3  &$%
  $    %&    $$  %  $      
$$%2*'*1$'(3*
4    &  &    '&  %  ,  ,&    % %  
&    &  '  %$  &      $    %
'$*"&'$$
& &*-&     $'  $ 
&  $ & 
''*=, &&$$ $,
$    $  51$  (  %      $        &
? $ & & ' 
&$$%*
Results
-      &&  ,  &      %    '  '
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%  2&  (    '3*  -&  5$'    &  0
%%$::M&
$&&$,&.
&$#&*G$
&'  &  ,&  &      1$$  %  %  &    $
'5&($%*
$8-%8%5*"%
&  %%    %    %  &  &    &
'& $$,&  '&  &
%5& $  '  $ %'' 
'    )0$$  $$*  -&  (    
'5$ '5  & 5 $2$ :93
'&&&+,&&$'
$=8*D
$ ;     &   1 $$  &
'  +  &      ?   *  4
$&& %$   0$
%& $&&$ && '  
,$  %  '    '$  &  &      %
2=;3*  $ '   & &&* -& 
2$'53($$$
&&$'&,&#'&
''&&%*"&$&,&
$'
$%%'&,&&')&%$
  %&*  -&    0$  %&    &
%#'&
&          %*  +  &  (  
'5$,&&$$$
&52$:93*
$J$<*
,&$'&'%,
%  $  &*  "  &,    $  J  $$  ,&
&&%&')
8,&$$2$:-%;
&$13*
9,&$$2$8-%;
&$13*
%%&&#&*
' &  ,& &   $  2$ :93
$$=J*:9
+,5$,)$=<,&&$$
&     &      ,$  %  '
'%&'&*-&(&
%$'&'&$''('
%&'&'5$$2$J3*
-&('52$%'3
,&&$2$:93*
$ID-%8$*
                $'  ,&
%%& ,&'
'5'&%%%%2$
I3  7    5$'  &    '5    '    &
2$:93$$=I*
-&?&,)*+$$,&),
&  % % #'   )    
%& & & % & % & (  
'5Q9*9<2$A3$$&$$
'5 ,&&  $$2$ :93*
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% %%8 '* -&, 5$
,)$&&&&1,&
$$% %&& &2=A3*
-&&#'&
7IJM &$),%$& %'$
&    %  &  #$*  =,    $          
$'&'%,%$&*
+$$  ,&  & 6  ()     )  
%  %  &  &  &  2$  B3  ,&&  
%  ,&  =B*  =,  &  '    &  (  %
'  $      &    '5  ,&  &
$2$:93$'&'
& (  $ ,& & $  $ % &
5$*
,&$(*$
D  &,  %    %  ,&    )  &  &  
'&&' ',) '6&, &( 
&$'5*&
'    &    2$  :93*   -&  5$'  $  
$    ,&  '  $        =D  ,&&  $  &
&  &$    &'&      %&  &  
10$,&%&$$2$;
-%8&$13*
%*"$B$$4&2:DD83
$$,&&)$&,'
&',&&&),
&*45$&$&2$'53
(  2$  J    -%  ;    &  $13  '''  &  
%)&&&))
,&*"$&,
&)  &  .  $      '  &      
$$@    &  &  &  $      
%&*    &    #  %  '      ,&  &
$&$)&,&
 7&  $  $$  &   ' $
&%*"%$J
,&, $ %&  ,  5$ '
(    &  5    $'  &  &    )  
&'&&%*=,&(
%  '5  ,&  &  $  $    &    $
2&,3*
",&'&(
%*  -&  (    %&  '&        $
'5  2$  :93  $'  &  .  '  &
%%  %  %  &'& ' & ,& &
%&'*+$$@(
,',$$$*
-&  (    &  %  ,&&    &,    $
'5      &    '5  ,&    &
$$2$:93*&%&
&$'5*G$
)%%&&&%&(
'5*-&('$'5&
&'&&'1$,&%')%)
  &'&0    &  ,*  +    &  (  
$% '5 & 5 $2$ :93 ,
'''&'$
)    %    %  0,&&      ,&  &  
$*"&($$@
%&  $  $  $        )    %
&&&%2&('$
'53*+$'$$&'5
 %&$ , 2,&& ,& &
5$'4&:DDJ3* &,&&%%
  '      1$    )    %    %  &
&*
Conclusions
-&     ,&    $$  $$    #    
%2%3,&&#''$
&7$((($%0$
%&*-,&.,&
  +  $  2+3  2$  $  4&  :DD83  ,&&  
$$    %  &    $    1    %
$* 4& & $
$$'$$@&%,,$(
('$& $$%
$'$&&&0,'*+$'
, 1$& + %$ &   ,&& ,'
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$$&'(*-),$'&
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$$@&%&*
G,1$&+%$'%,
%$'$&*-&%%&
      &'&0        &  .
'    24%%    89:A3*    ,  $$  
$$&$ ?$$,&&
, 1$       1' ,&  
$$#&0$%&*G
5&1%,&.5*
&$$&+$&,&,
1$ %  $  &  '5 2$ 
 & '  & ( ,  &  $
&  1$3      *  "      '
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''$
%5  ,     * 4  5$
&  &  $      $$      
'5&'&&&%'''
& $' & '&     $0)' 
  %    (    $'  $$  ,&  
&'&0#*
+'($1$
     &  $'&'%,  %
$'$&*"&
1,$5$%,
&&*-&$&$&(
'& %   ,&&   ,& &  &
710$289:A3$$
& ,' $  $   %&* -&
$,&'&&%
$$'%,(*
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%$&%$(
(,&,,&&'
*G$&&$(%,%&
'$$'''&&'&
%      (*  $   &    %  
  ,&    &  '        
%5%52'&$
  $'    &      %3    
%5$*&&&
&$&&$*-&)
  %  '$$  %      $      $
)%'$$%&?'
$$  *  -&    %  $  '$
&  )  )  ,  $  '   )  $  *
-&&&%,%&&'&*"
&  $    &  $  %&    &  $  &  $    #    
'$&%&&*45$$&
%&  '    $(  ,&      &    '  
1  %5  $  &      '  (*  +  &
'$&+($'&' %,&,&
#$%$&,&#&6%'
5$'$'&)'5(')
&$ %$ $&& 
$      $(        (    0$
%&* -&   $$@ '& %
($  %      $%  %    
'& %5*"&'& &+
&1$0&$&%',&
,'2>89:D3&$
.,$'$$&&,
(*
Appendix
-%;*@$1
2:3 283 2;3 2J3
4) 0
9*9D8R
29*9J;
3
)?&
' 9*9<;
29*9JI
3
4$$'$#%

9*:A8R
R
29*9J9
3
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29*9;;3
% 9*9<DS
29*9;;3
$, 9*:DIRR
29*9<93
%&'
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9*;8:R
R
29*9JB
3
 9*JDJR
R
29*9;;
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='',)' 0
9*:9ARR
29*9J93
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 9*;:<RR
29*9;A3
+
0
9*D9IR
R
0
8*99BRR
0
8*IIBR
R
0
:*9AIRR
29*8BI
3 29*;;;3
29*;8A
3 29*;9D3
J:<J J:<J J:<J J:<J
$T 9*9<I 9*9IB 9*::B 9*9II
$$&
SQ*:RQ*9<RRQ9*9:
References
"&  ,  0$  $  =  289:B3  -&
.  %& C  '  %5
  $(  )$    %/    G+C
:9*::AAL:;<J9IBB:BA<JI9;
>  -  4%%    $      289:D3 >    
?(,"*$C$'*
>>%UG>"$$V'0-!289:<3
%&$'$'*+C=$
#"2$3 ?(9*$C$'*:A0
;;
>  >  2:DA93 %1      *  &'C
&'*
4$!>2$3289:<3 ' -@&9
/A*G1$CG1$*
'2:D<A3*,K)C!&4*
& 289:<3 ,    * &''
$$  &''     /
:;CJ9D7J<D*
'&    $  &    2899J3    %&    +$C  -&
% *:92J3CJ9A08<*
#  "  289:;3 '    -    &  >  ?(  
@*>')C'0*
#  "  289:<3  -&        %&* 
B-C<J283C8;878JB*
 $ 289:A3-&  '
$  0$  %&C  $  $    ,      
%&*$C:9*::AAL:;<J9IBB:AAJ8BJJ
=$    289:<3    %&    ,C  '  %  
F%/+C=$#"2$3?(9*
$C$'*:<:0IB*
0$    ,    $    =    289:A3    
''/   %&    ,        (
$  * +C , 4%% $ ') -
2$3 8    &  C1  1  
*G1$CG1$*8;J78<B*
&  "  2:DD93  !'      C       &
&  %&* : B- % J:2J3C
JDA0<:I*
G 2:DI<3 ' @ -  9& ( D  
'-D*%$'C=$*
$>>&)!=>$=!2899J3
'"/&%&-&
*:92J3C;IA0BJ*
 4%%  $ > - 289:B3 4& $    ,&
      #  &/  $    >* E
$C:9*:9B9L9:J98;B8*89:B*:JADD8:
    $      289:J3  1'  &  E$$@ $    &
)* $'
*892J3C<9I0<89
&%'    2:DD83 @;      &    
*,K)C%$'
$$$ " $F 2$3 289:<3  
* &C"&'*
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?(*G1$C$*
, 289993 4& %/ G' 
&''    *  +C    !  $  4%'  
2$3E&9
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*CF<<2;3C<JA0ID
... Über die Motivation für die Mitgliedschaft in einer Partei ist bereits einiges bekannt. So spielen dort sozialpsychologische Aspekte, wie auch generelle Nutzenerwägungen eine Rolle (Hoffmann 2011;Seyd und Whiteley 1992;Koo 2021;Gomez et al. 2019;Achury et al. 2020). Diesen Untersuchungen ist jedoch gemein, dass sie in der Regel durch die Betrachtung der etablierten Parteien oder der Parteimitgliedschaft im Aggregat nur einen Ausschnitt der Parteienlandschaft und seiner Mitglieder abbilden oder sehr unterschiedliche Parteien in einer Gesamtschau betrachten. ...
... Schlaglichtartig betrachtet wurden der Effekt von kleineren Parteien auf die Wahlergebnisse der großen Parteien (Chamberlain 2012; Luks et al. 2003), die Gründe für die Wahl von kleineren Parteien (Borisyuk et al. 2007;Bélanger 2004;Allen und Brox 2005), Organisationsanforderungen (van den Boom 1999) sowie ihre Einordnung im Parteiensystem (Rowold 1974). Doch systematische Untersuchungen darüber, welche Gründe für eine Parteimitgliedschaft bei diesen Parteien vorliegen, sind abseits von Einzelfallstudien (Gomez et al. 2019;Whiteley et al. 2019) bisher nicht durchgeführt worden. Für ein nuanciertes Bild von Parteimitgliedschaft ist allerdings eine Analyse der Stärke der unterschiedlichen Anreize für bestimmte Parteitypen unerlässlich. ...
... Zum einen zeigt sich, dass es Motivationsfaktoren gibt, die klar über alle Parteigrößen hinweg Geltungskraft haben. Insbesondere die zu den erklärungsmächtigen Motivationsfaktoren der Partiemitgliedschaft gehörenden altruistischen Anreize (Gomez et al. 2019;Hoffmann 2011) sind in gleichem Ausmaß bei Klein(st)parteimitgliedern sowie bei Mitgliedern großer Parteien zu finden. Zum anderen gibt es jedoch auch Motivationsfaktoren, die nach Parteigröße eine unterschiedliche Bedeutung für die Parteimitgliedschaft aufweisen. ...
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Zusammenfassung Ein erheblicher Anteil der Parteimitglieder in Deutschland entfällt auf Klein(st)parteien. So stellt die Gruppe der Klein(st)parteien summiert die drittmeisten Parteimitglieder in Deutschland. In Anbetracht einer wachsenden Anzahl und eines zunehmenden Stimmenanteils von Klein(st)parteien ist von einer steigenden Relevanz ihrer Mitgliedschaft auszugehen. Über diese große Gruppe ist, trotz vieler Untersuchungen von Parteimitgliedern im Allgemeinen, bisher sehr wenig bekannt. Dieser Beitrag ermittelt mit Schwerpunkt auf dem General-Incentives-Modell die Motivationen für den „Gang in den Schatten der Macht“. Mittels Rückgriff auf Daten der Deutschen Parteimitgliederstudie 2009 wird gezeigt, dass die Mitgliedschaft in einer Klein(st)partei vor allem durch die Unzufriedenheit mit politischen Akteuren und dem System insgesamt sowie aus ideologischer Motivation gespeist wird. Klein(st)parteimitglieder sind ferner aktiver in ihrer Partei, verknüpfen mit ihrer Mitgliedschaft eher die Übernahme von Parteiämtern und ziehen eine größere Befriedigung aus ihrer Mitgliedschaft.
... El modelo define tres grupos principales de incentivos: selectivos, que pueden estar relacionados con los beneficios del proceso o del resultado obtenido; los beneficios colectivos; y afectivos, como el altruismo o la adecuación a las normas sociales. El modelo ha sido aplicado a diferentes realidades Gallagher y Marsh, 2004;Gómez et al., 2021;Pattie et al., 2003;Pedersen et al., 2004), de tal forma que ha sido testado y enriquecido con aportaciones que han sido sintetizadas por Poletti et al. (2019). Por la amplitud y versatilidad de las motivaciones e incentivos incluidos, consideramos que este modelo tiene la capacidad de ser aplicado al análisis de la toma de decisiones individuales de la juventud en el proceso de la incorporación a la carrera militar. ...
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El objetivo de la investigación es analizar las motivaciones e incentivos que influyen en que las personas jóvenes se sientan atraídos por la carrera militar. Utilizamos el Modelo General de Incentivos (GIM). La metodología parte del análisis de los datos ofrecidos por las doce encuestas sobre Defensa Nacional y las Fuerzas Armadas/Ejercito, realizadas en España por el Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (CIS) entre 1997 y 2017. Los resultados muestran que los incentivos altruistas, los incentivos de proceso, relacionados exclusivamente con la profesión militar, y los incentivos afectivos, relacionados con el prestigio, son los más influyentes en el interés por la profesión militar. También constatamos el potencial del Modelo General de Incentivos para analizar las motivaciones en la inserción laboral, especialmente en profesionales con una fuerte especificidad.
... Of the various GIM's applications for different national contexts, Bale et al. (2018, pp 6-8) adapted an application of seven incentives and motivations for members of German parties (perception of group effectiveness, collective policy outcome benefits, selective outcome benefits, selective process benefits, altruistic motivations, social norms, and expressive or affective motivations). Gomez et al. (2019) followed these two GIM's applications and studied the relationship between activists and their parties, focusing on comparing party members and supporters. They concluded that the reasons for joining a party are slightly different from the point of view of sympathisers, who considered candidate selection incentives as more important, while for party members the decisive factors are: selective outcome incentives, selective process benefits, collective outcome benefits and altruistic reasons. ...
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This contribution explores the role of the incentives and benefits of party affiliation, along with the ideological reasons for being politically active, in particular as a party delegate. The rational for party affiliation and for activism has developed over recent decades, ranging from individual to collective reasons. The incentives that explain activism have been an essential part of the discussion on the reasons for becoming a party member, particularly following the seminal study on the General Incentives Model (GIM)’s, Seyd and Whiteley (1992). Later developments from Whiteley et al. (2019) provided evidence on the activism of radical political forces, as is the case of UKIP in the United Kingdom. Following the GIM framework, this study explores these themes within a Portuguese context, and from a comparative perspective. To date, investigations in this field have rarely focused on Portugal. The research question is: how do delegates view their party’s incentives and benefits, and how is this influenced by their ideological self-positioning on the left–right scale? We argue that the larger the party, the lower the members’ assessment will be of the incentives and benefits achieved. In methodological terms, this study is based on the MAPP project and surveys, applied to Portuguese political party members, including delegates from right-wing parties. The relevance of this article lies in the application of the GIM to delegates of right-wing political parties, in a comparative perspective, considering a downward trend and a Southern European country that has, to date, been little explored in this context (Sierens et al. 2022). The goal is to find evidence of how right-wing party members and delegates view the incentives and benefits that play a role in party activism.
... This process towards internal inclusiveness redefines the incentives for enrolment within political parties. Traditionally, literature has addressed this issue by referring to collective, selective and emotional incentives as the main motives underpinning (and driving) partisan involvement and commitment (Gomez et al. 2020). However, lowering the entry barriers for party membership attracts those that are seeking more flexible and less demanding forms of party membership (Poletti et al. 2019). ...
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En este artículo investigamos el caso del Partido Demócrata en Italia (Partito Democratico - PD). Observamos cómo los miembros y simpatizantes se integran dentro del partido y su papel respectivo en la selección del líder. El PD aplica un procedimiento de dos pasos para seleccionar a los líderes. Primero, los afiliados seleccionan a los candidatos que se postulan para el liderazgo del partido, de modo que solo tres candidatos tienen derecho a pasar a la siguiente etapa. En segundo lugar, el líder se selecciona mediante primarias abiertas en las que se admite el voto de todos los electores. Nuestro objetivo es evaluar si estos procedimientos altamente inclusivos que permiten a afiliados y simpatizantes tener voz y voto en la selección de líderes pueden generar alguna tensión entre los dos electorados. Para ello, nos centramos en el nivel de competitividad de las primarias que involucran, sucesivamente, a afiliados y simpatizantes. Nos basamos en cuatro conjuntos de datos diferentes que incluyen datos agregados a nivel regional sobre los procesos de selección del líder nacional del partido organizados en 2009, 2013, 2017 y 2019. Los resultados muestran que los dos procesos solo han convergido parcialmente. De hecho, tanto las primarias cerradas como las abiertas se caracterizan por una tendencia a la baja; en cambio, el voto de los afiliados a menudo permite primarias cerradas competitivas, mientras que las primarias abiertas tienen más probabilidades de generar resultados plebiscitarios. Esto puede producir importantes consecuencias sobre el papel diferente de los miembros y simpatizantes dentro del partido.
... This participatory linkage of party delegates between the 'party on the ground' and the 'party in the central office' is especially important today with the advent of new forms of party affiliation, such as multi-speed membership (Achury et al. 2020;Baras et al. 2015;Gomez et al. 2019;Hooghe and Kölln 2020;Kölln 2016;Scarrow 2015). New forms of party membership make Modern Italy responsiveness by national party delegates all the more important. ...
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This article advances a new approach based on ‘varieties of capital’ to explain gendered upward mobility in political parties. Research on gender political advancement unduly neglects women delegates to national party congresses. Our work seeks to redress the imbalance by drawing on data gathered from 5,122 questionnaires issued to national party delegates at 20 national conventions that took place between 2004 and 2013 in Italy. To analyse the data we develop a new framework based on ‘varieties of capital’. Our approach builds on Bourdieu's three types of personal capital – economic, social and cultural – and interprets the findings borrowing analytical tools from recent feminist institutional theory, especially the concept of homosocial capital. Comparisons of male and female party delegates in terms of background and their political trajectories reveal the persistence of an uneven playing field, with gendered hierarchies in Italian political parties confirming an international pattern.
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Small and marginal parties (SMPs) are a constant feature of the party landscape in Germany’s political system. Some of these parties have failed to enter parliament for a long time, with many already dissolving soon after they were founded. One reason for this lack of political clout may be a lower level of resources at the individual level. Using data from the Forsa-Bus, we show that the socioeconomic makeup of members of SMPs differs from that of members of large parties. SMP members take up the middle ground between members of large parties and non-members, which means that these parties encourage the political participation of a more diverse socioeconomical group. This leads to a broader public being involved in the democratic process of elections than initially anticipated.
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