Ideologisk förändring och stabilitet i Finland. En jämförande studie av sex partiideologier

Författare

• Mikael Nygård

Abstract

The aim of the study is to analyze changes in Finnish party ideologies during the postwar period. The main questions to be answered are a) which changes (if any) can be identified in the party ideologies, b) has there been a reduction of distances between different party ideologies, c) does there still exist a connection between the party ideologies and the so-called left-right axis? The study focuses on twelve programmes from six parties (the National Coalition Party [Conservatives], the Swedish People´s Party, the Liberal People´s Party, the Centre Party, the Social Democrats and the Left-Wing Alliance/ Finnish People´s Democratic League [former Left-Socialists and Communists]), and uses a methodological approach mainly based on quantitative content analysis. The programmes analyzed were published during two periods, the first during the 1950s and 1960s and the second during the 1980s and 1990s. The findings show that substantial changes have occurred regarding both the contents and the structure of Finnish party ideologies during the post-war period. The programmes have become more universal and oriented towards the entire community. Furthermore, the differences between ideological standpoints have become blurred, although there still exist some characteristics indicating out the ideological position of the parties. Finally, the so-called left-right axis seems to have lost much of its former significance. The contents and the structure of the party programmes no longer relate to a leftright axis as in the 1950s and the 1960s.