Do Parties Make a Difference? A Reappraisal

Abstract

Hypothesis: Government spending tends to increase more under governments of the left than under governments of the right. Method: Pooled data analysis of changes in central government domestic spending in 18 countries, between 1962 and 1991. Results: The original finding, that the partisan composition of governments makes a difference, though a small one, is confirmed. The new results do not, however, replicate the previous finding that parties matter only under majority governments.