Abstract
Initially, studies on policy and the internet considered websites as spaces for the propagation of political and electoral marketing. However, this proposal presents a different perspective regarding the internet as a space for building the identity of political parties with their diverse audiences: cross-party and intra-party. The chapter is divided into three parts: the first deals with politics and the internet focusing on the theory of equalization and normalization to match the political game between major and minor parties. Thus, to understand the organizational structure of the parties, the theory of the parties of cadres and masses is offered. Also, to deepen this discussion, the selective and collective incentives that are part of the genetics of political parties are treated. As the results, the website serves as an instrument of communication of the party, divulging the objectives, the internal disputes between the different factions, and the way the party works.
TopCross-Party Competition: Will The Internet Match The Political Game?
The issues related to cross-party competition dominates the field and are present in the studies to this day. Three groups of researchers open this debate. The first group, formed by Margolis et al. (1997), discussed the use of the Internet in the 1996 United States election campaign. The second group, formed by Gibson and Ward (1998), investigated how the UK parties were using the Internet as a new medium. The two groups of researchers came together to develop a comparative research to show the differences and similarities between the United States and the UK in the use of the Internet for political strategies.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Mass Parties: These are those parties formed by the mass, and its goal is to help disadvantaged classes.
Collective Incentive: The distribution of benefits and promises are for all members.
Selective Incentive: The benefits and promises are distributed only to selected participants. Usually, the selection is uneven.
Normalization: All the parties would have a substantial presence on the Internet. However, significant parties would employ more sophisticated techniques than minor parties since they have more financial resources.
Organizational Structure: It refers to the internal organization of political parties.
Equalization: On the internet, major and minor political parties would have the same space.
Matches of Cadres: Are those parties in which its primary objective is to obtain political positions for its members.