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Chapter 9: Degree of Organization (pp. 98-107), this is p. 102
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TABLE 9.2a: Mid 1950s: BV8.02 Intensiveness of Organization

 

TABLE 9.2b: Early 1960s: BV8.02 Intensiveness of Organization

of the country. More properly speaking, we are interested in the proportion of the population served by the party rather than the proportion of the territory it covers.

Categories of local organization presented in variable 8.02 are used to establish the extensiveness of party organization. From the least to the most intensive, there are four basic types of party organization: constituency, branch, precinct, and cell. We are interested in learning how widespread is the party's usage of its most intensive level or organization as identified in variable 8.02.

Operational Definition. A party is rated according to the highest code that applies from the following set of categories.

0

Either there are no identifiable party organs or the only organs that can be identified are national organs.

1

There are no "local organizations," but there are "regional organizations" in some major regions of the country.

2

There are no "local organizations," but there are "regional organizations" in all major regions of the country .

3

The most intensive level or organization for the party is limited to areas of the country less than one third of the population.

4

The most intensive level of organization for the party is limited to areas of the country with one-third to two-thirds of the population.

5

The most intensive level of organization for the party can be found scattered all over the country, but the strength of these organizations is variable and the coverage is far from complete.

6

The most intensive level of organization for the party can be found throughout the country; while the strength of these organizations may be variable, the coverage is rather thorough.

Coding Results. "Intensiveness of organization" proved to be somewhat more difficult to code than "structural articulation," with about 20 percent of the parties lacking a code for BV802. In line with the rationale concerning data quality and coding judgments for the preceding variable, there was again a significant positive correlation of .44 between the BV and AC scores. The relevant statistics are detailed in Tables 9.2a and 9.2b, which also show that a plurality of parties (nearly 40 percent) is organized on a branch or ward basis. Approximately 20 percent more feature the most intensive type of organization, commonly described as a "cell" even if the party itself refrains from this designation. Intermediate between these two points on the continuum is the "precinct" organization, which accounts for another quarter of the world's parties. Readers are reminded that the term "precinct" is used here in a broad sense, including village-level organizations as well as urban subunits.

Basic Variable 8.04: Frequency of Local Meetings*

The mere existence of local party units is an indicator of degree of organization. Another indicator is the frequency of meetings of the local party units. Meeting serve as a forum for the dissemination of information provide a focus for the collection of information, and aid in the formation and evaluation of party issues and goal orientations. The more frequent the meetings, the greater the potential for party organization. In addition to the frequency of meetings, the regularity of meetings must also be considered as contributory to organization.


*Gilbert Rotkin assisted in writing this section.

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