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Selecting Ministers in Times of Crisis : A Historical Analysis of the Role of Intra-Party Politics and Union Background in Swedish Cabinet Appointments 1917–2014

Davidsson, Johan Bo LU and Bäck, Hanna LU orcid (2019) In Political Studies 67(4). p.932-954
Abstract

In this article, we connect intra-party politics to macro events by asking what types of ministers are selected in times of fiscal crisis. Drawing on the previous literature we present two alternative hypotheses about the role of the union background in cabinet selection: (1) ministers with union background are less likely to be appointed during crises, since they are likely to oppose necessary spending cuts and (2) ministers with union background are more likely to be appointed during crises, since there is a need to appease union factions within the party. We evaluate these hypotheses using a unique historical dataset on the background of ministers in Sweden between 1917 and 2014. Overall, we find strong support for the hypothesis... (More)

In this article, we connect intra-party politics to macro events by asking what types of ministers are selected in times of fiscal crisis. Drawing on the previous literature we present two alternative hypotheses about the role of the union background in cabinet selection: (1) ministers with union background are less likely to be appointed during crises, since they are likely to oppose necessary spending cuts and (2) ministers with union background are more likely to be appointed during crises, since there is a need to appease union factions within the party. We evaluate these hypotheses using a unique historical dataset on the background of ministers in Sweden between 1917 and 2014. Overall, we find strong support for the hypothesis that fiscal crises increase the likelihood that ministers will have a union background, suggesting that ministers are appointed to appease the union faction within the party in times of fiscal crisis.

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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
economic crisis, intra-party politics, ministerial selection, trade unions
in
Political Studies
volume
67
issue
4
pages
932 - 954
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85059623806
ISSN
0032-3217
DOI
10.1177/0032321718815847
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9c28acee-8e85-4ef7-b08f-6dc98105342c
date added to LUP
2019-01-18 12:03:53
date last changed
2024-01-15 12:03:19
@article{9c28acee-8e85-4ef7-b08f-6dc98105342c,
  abstract     = {{<p>In this article, we connect intra-party politics to macro events by asking what types of ministers are selected in times of fiscal crisis. Drawing on the previous literature we present two alternative hypotheses about the role of the union background in cabinet selection: (1) ministers with union background are less likely to be appointed during crises, since they are likely to oppose necessary spending cuts and (2) ministers with union background are more likely to be appointed during crises, since there is a need to appease union factions within the party. We evaluate these hypotheses using a unique historical dataset on the background of ministers in Sweden between 1917 and 2014. Overall, we find strong support for the hypothesis that fiscal crises increase the likelihood that ministers will have a union background, suggesting that ministers are appointed to appease the union faction within the party in times of fiscal crisis.</p>}},
  author       = {{Davidsson, Johan Bo and Bäck, Hanna}},
  issn         = {{0032-3217}},
  keywords     = {{economic crisis; intra-party politics; ministerial selection; trade unions}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{932--954}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Political Studies}},
  title        = {{Selecting Ministers in Times of Crisis : A Historical Analysis of the Role of Intra-Party Politics and Union Background in Swedish Cabinet Appointments 1917–2014}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0032321718815847}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/0032321718815847}},
  volume       = {{67}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}