Assessing the validity of the Manifesto Common Space Scores. (June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Flentje, Jan-Erik; König, Thomas; Marbach, Moritz
• Is Part Of: Electoral studies. Volume 47(2017:Sep.)
• Page Start: 25
• Page End: 35
• Publication Date: 2017-06
• Subjects: Elections -- Periodicals; Voting -- Periodicals; 324.6
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electstud.2017.03.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0261-3794

Abstract

Abstract: RILE estimates based on party manifesto data suggest that political parties leapfrog on the left-right scale over time. This implausible finding has raised questions about the efficacy not only of RILE for estimating left-right positions but of coded party manifestos for political science research in general. The recently developed Manifesto Common Space Scores (MCSS), which reduce leapfrogging by accounting for the election-specific character of party manifestos, provide alternative estimates for parties left/right-positions, but little is known about their validity. This study shows that MCSS estimates exhibit greater convergent validity relative to RILE estimates when compared to other measures of parties left/right-positions. It also finds that MCSS has greater construct validity relative to RILE estimates in two prominent cases (Greece and Italy). Overall, the findings underscore the election-specific character of party manifestos and demonstrate that MCSS is a useful alternative measure of parties' left-right positions.