Social cleavages, party organization, and the end of single-party dominance: Insights from India

Journal article

When do electorally dominant parties lose power in democracies? Drawing on the experiences of India's states during the period of Indian National Congress dominance, we argue that single-party dominance is less likely to endure under two conditions: first, when one of the opposition parties possesses a longstanding and robust party organization and, second, when there is a single social cleavage dividing the political class into two main cleavage groups. Both conditions contribute to the demise of a dominant party system by encouraging a previously fragmented opposition to consolidate behind one large party capable of challenging the dominant party. We provide support for our argument with evidence from across India's states and with more in-depth case studies of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh.

Authors: Tudor, M; Ziegfeld, A

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: City University of New York
• Journal: Comparative Politics
• Volume: 52
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 149-188
• Publication date: 2019-10-01
• Acceptance date: 2018-07-28
• ISSN: 0010-4159
• Language: English