Abstract
The left-right political dimension represents a powerful and parsimonious way to describe political ideology. The right is usually seen as standing for tradition and acceptance of inequality, whereas the left advocates progress and economic redistribution. This study reports an analysis of the left-right scale in the minds of Icelandic voters, using data from the Icelandic National Election Studies from 1987-2009. Findings indicate that the vast majority of respondents are willing to place themselves on the left-right scale, and that they have become increasingly willing to do so since 1987. The average political orientation of Icelanders has consistently been just right of centre, with a moderate dip in 2009. The possibility of political polarization and sorting is considered, and ultimately rejected, based on analyses of the distribution of left-right scores for the entire sample and for subgroups defined by political party affiliation and demographics. Lastly, the contextual nature of the left-right dimension is examined by looking at the relationship over time between attitudes towards six political issues and left-right self-placement. The overarching picture that emerges from this study is that of a stable, well-defined left-right political landscape in the minds of Icelandic voters.
Highlights
It has been popular for several decades to declare its irrelevance or outright death (Converse, 1964; Lipset, 1960; Giddens, 1994)
This paper reports a study of the left-right dimension among Icelandic voters by using the Icelandic National Election Studies (INES) from 1987 until 2009
It is possible that a decline in the number of people placing themselves on the scale would indicate not its lack of meaning in people’s minds, but something else, such as political apathy
Summary
It has been popular for several decades to declare its irrelevance or outright death (Converse, 1964; Lipset, 1960; Giddens, 1994). The left-right political dimension refuses to go away. This paper reports a study of the left-right dimension among Icelandic voters by using the Icelandic National Election Studies (INES) from 1987 until 2009. The paper commences with a brief history of the left-right dimension, followed by a description of what are believed to be its core components, and a discussion of the psychology of political orientation. After succinctly outlining the Icelandic political landscape, I will address common criticisms and active debates concerning the left-right label. This will be followed by the introduction of five research questions about the use, distribution, and potential polarization of the left-right
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