CASOS Working PAPER

"Beyond Control: A Model of Parties as Complex Adaptive Systems" (PDF file)
Author: Greg D. Adams

Abstract
Since Downs (1957), spatial models of political parties have typically depicted parties as unitary, rational actors, motivated by vote-maximizing goals. In this paper I present a spatial model of party behavior that depicts parties as diffuse collectivities of citizens lacking a coordination authority. I then explore several implications of the model, focusing on how facotrs such as the number of parties and the nature of the issue space affect te degree and speed with which parties diverge on issues. After describing some general resultsm I show how variations of the moder, such as including multiple electroal districts, can be incorporated into the model's framework. Finally, the paper concludes with suggestions for further applications, such as multi-member districts and strategies voting behavior.