Changing party control of government leads to changes in party ideologies and issue positions

What is it about?

America’s two major political parties often switch positions on a variety of issues, including how powerful the national government should be and how much it should regulate and guide the American economy. What can help explain these developments? This article finds that parties in control of government tend to develop their ideology in ways that call for a stronger national government and more economic intervention, while parties in opposition tend to change their ideology in ways that call for less national government power and less economic intervention.

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Why is it important?

I show how the constantly changing meaning of political ideologies like liberalism and conservatism allow the Democratic and Republican Parties to change dramatically over time even while continuing to be labeled "liberal" and "conservative," respectively. For example, I show how Donald Trump can drastically transform the Republican Party even while the party continues to call itself, and be called by others, "conservative."