The "ac" code is for "adequacy-confidence"--a
data
quality measure ranging from 0 (low) to 9
(high)
Institutionalization Variables,
1.01-1.06
1.01 year of origin and 1.02 name
changes
1916, AC9
0, AC9
All sources agree that the
Progressive Party was founded in 1916 by members of the althing
(national assembly) who wanted to promote the interests of the
farmers and the cooperatives.
1.03 organizational
discontinuity
5, AC5
In 1953 there was a major split
from the Progressive Party, forming people's defense
party.
1.04 leadership
competition
4, AC5
The leader since 1943 appears to
have been Hermann Jonasson, but Steingrimur Steinthorsson may have
been party leader when he was premier from 1950-53.
1.05 legislative
instability
Instability is .06,
AC9
The Progressive Party's
legislative representation ranged between 28 percent in 1960 and
1961 and 37 percent in 1959.
1.06 electoral
instability
Instability is .16 ,
AC9
Legislative elections were held
in 1953, 1956, and two in 1959. The Progressive Party's proportion
of the votes won ranged from 16 percent in 1956 to 27 percent in
1959.
Governmental Status Variables,
2.01-2.07
2.01 government
discrimination
1 for 1950-56, AC8
0 for 1957-62, AC8
Electoral law favored this party
in rural areas until 1959. After the law was reformed, popular
support still carried this party to fair gains in the
parliament.
2.02 governmental
leadership
5 out of 7 for 1950-56,
AC8
2 out of 6 for 1957-62,
AC8
Steinthorsson was prime minister
from 1950-53, and Jonasson from 1956-58.
2.03 cabinet
participation
7 out of 7 for 1950-56,
AC9
2 out of 6 for 1957-62,
AC9
The Progressive Party was part of
the governing coalition with the independence party from 1950 56.
From 1956-58, it was in a governing coalition with the Social
Democrats and the Labor Alliance.
2.04 national
participation
5 for 1950-62, AC9
The party generally draws its
support from the rural areas, though national in
organization.
2.05 legislative
strength
Strength is .32 for 1950-56, AC9
and .31 for 1957-62, AC9
The Progressive Party's
legislative representation ranged between 28 percent in 1960 and
1961 and 37 percent in 1959.
2.06 electoral
strength
Strength is .19 for 1950-56, AC9
and .26 for 1957-62 , AC9
Legislative elections were held
in 1953, 1956, and two in 1959. The Progressive Party's proportion
of the votes won ranged from 16 percent in 1956 to 27 percent in
1959.
2.07 outside origin
4, AC6
The party was formed by
legislators of the time seeking better representation for agrarian
interests.
Issue Orientation Variables, 5.01-5.15
5.01 ownership of means of
production
3 for 1950-62, AC5
Various industries and services
were nationalized in Iceland. Since the progressives accepted this
situation, it appears to endorse government ownership in
principle. This party is primarily a liberal, agrarian party which
favors formation of cooperatives.
5.02 government role in economic
planning
3 for 1950-62, AC7
Pro-moderate. This party, through
government coalitions, had supported emergency measures to control
the value of currency, subsidies to farms and fishermen, and
various other controls.
5.03 redistribution of
wealth
AC1
No information
5.04 social welfare
5 for 1950-62, AC8
There is a program for universal
medical care, care for the aged, and child welfare. It is
supported at local levels by party.
5.05 secularization of
society
3 for 1950-62, AC9
The party supports clergy by
state since 97 percent of population belongs to the state
evangelical Lutheran Church, although there is no compulsion and
freedom of conscience is protected.
5.06 support of the
military
5 for 1950-62, AC9
The Progressive Party favors
continuation of no armed forces, it is anti military.
5.07 alignment with east-west
blocs
3 for 1950-62, AC6
In 1953, the progressives changed
their position and demanded American evacuation of the NATO base,
though not withdrawal from NATO.
5.08 anti-colonialism
0 for 1950-56, AC7 -
1 for 1957-62, AC7
Though once a dependency of
Denmark, Iceland is now thought threatened by neo colonialism from
the u.s., which is responsible for her defense by a 1951
agreement. Because the agreement was made while the party was in
government, it presumably accepts the situation. However, the
Progressive Party later called for a gradual reduction in NATO,
which means u.s., forces. After 1956, it again favored keeping the
u.s. forces.
5.09 supranational
integration
AC1
No information.
5.10 national
integration
1 for 1950-62, AC3
Nationalist party, but also
concerned with representing rural interests and the interests of
cooperatives. The government itself has always allowed district
expression, but the small size of the country makes most political
issues national issues, and differences are expressed through
parties rather than through regions.
5.11 electoral
participation
5 for 1950-62, AC9
The Progressive Party advocates
maintaining universal suffrage.
5.12 protection of civil
rights
AC1
No information.
5.13 interference with civil
liberties
3 for 1950-62, AC6
The Progressive Party recognizes
freedom of the press and no political censorship.
5.14 / 5.15 us--soviet experts
left-right ratings
U.S. says 2, center
Soviets say 2, represents farmers
and small businessmen as bourgeois party of the
center.
Goal Orientation Variables, 6.01-6.55
6.00 open competition in the
electoral process
4 for 1950-62, AC9
The Progressive Party relies
exclusively on open competition.
6.10 restricting party
competition
0 for 1950-62, AC9
The Progressive Party does not
rely on restricting party competition.
6.20 subverting the political
system
0 for 1950-62, AC9
The Progressive Party does not
rely on subverting the electoral system.
6.30 propagandizing ideas and
program
6.31 2, AC9
The progressives own and operate
a daily paper.
6.32 AC1 * there is no
information on party schools.
6.33 2, AC8
The party passed resolutions at
party conventions. Examples deal with the dissolution of
government in 1957 and the formation and entrance into
alliances.
6.34 1 for first half, AC5 and
for second half, AC1
An example of a year end
statement from party leaders was published during the first half
of our time period.
6.50 providing for welfare of
party members
AC1
No information
Autonomy Variables, 7.01-7.05
7.01 sources of funds
AC1
No information
7.02 source of members
AC1
While the party is clearly closely tied to agricultural interests,
it is not possible to say whether its membership is direct or
indirect--or even whether it has any membership at all.
7.03 sources of leaders
3 (sector 02), AC3
The leadership comes from cooperative farmer and small farmer
sectors (one group).
7.04 relations with domestic parties
4 for 1950-56, AC6
5 for 1957-62, AC9
Participated in governing coalitions in both time periods, but it
was involved in a coalition only 2 years during the second
half.
7.05 relations with foreign organizations
5 for 1950-62, AC3
This party is not affiliated with any international party
organization. The lack of mention of such connection is
conspicuous.
Organizational Complexity Variables,
8.01-8.07
8.01 structural
articulation
6 for 1950-62, AC7
There is the executive board of
the party, whose selection procedures are unknown, and the party
congress or convention which is called to make party
policy.
8.02 intensiveness of
organization
5 for 1950-62, AC8
The party maintains local
chapters in almost every community, has a chapter at the
university, and local organizations which are particularly strong
in rural areas.
8.03 extensiveness of
organization
5 for 1950-62, AC6
The party has local organizations
in nearly every community, although most of its support comes from
the sparsely populated rural districts rather than the cities or
towns where over 3/4 of the population live.
8.04 frequency of local
meetings
AC1
The party has local chapters in
nearly every community, although meetings were not mentioned in
the literature.
8.05 frequency of national
meetings
AC1
No information.
8.06 maintaining
records
AC1
No information.
8.07 pervasiveness of
organization
12 for 1950-62, AC8
The party has members in the farmer's cooperatives that are a
major support of the party. The party also has auxiliary women and
youth organizations.
Organizational Power Variables,
9.01-9.08
9.01 nationalization of
structure
6 for 1950-62, AC6
The small size of the population
coupled with the existence of strong local chapters makes regional
organization less likely, though literature does not confirm or
deny their existence. The party has a strong national organization
and strong local community chapters in the rural
areas.
9.02 selecting the national
leader
AC1
The procedure for selection of
party leader is not noted in the literature. This party does have
an executive board and occasional party congresses, but the same
leader has held leadership for the last 25 years. Leadership
changed in 1943 without mention of procedures.
9.03 selecting parliamentary
candidates
AC1
There is a list of national
candidates prepared. Some run in individual districts while
others, in a sense, run at large. Selection is made nationally,
but the literature does not discuss whether another body or local
organization approves these lists.(54) 9.04 allocating funds
AC1
No information
9.05 formulating pocy
5 for 1950-62, AC8
The party congresses are convened
to hear what party leadership has outlined for policy and approval
is perfunctory.
9.06 controlling
communications
7 for 1950-62, AC8
The paper of the party is owned
and operated by the party and is influential for party
members.
9.07 administering
discipline
AC1
No information
9.08 leadership
concentration
3 for 1950-62, AC5
There is a balance of power
between the party leader and the executive board, and the
literature is not clear whether one has absolute control over the
other. Although Jonasson has been a dominant figure in the party,
lack of data on perfunctory approval by the executive board has
been interpreted to mean that its existence limits the
centralization of power.
Coherence Variables, 10.01-10.06
10.01 legislative
cohesion
AC1
No information
10.02 ideological
factionalism
0 for 1950-62, AC3
There seems to be no debate over
ideological concerns.
10.03 issue
factionalism
2 for 1950-62, AC7
There are debates over issues,
but the party is fairly cohesive and the factions are not present
beyond disagreement and debate.
10.04 leadership
factionalism
0 for 1950-62, AC6
Party leadership has stayed the
same for 25 years.
10.05 strategic or tactical
factionalism
0 for 1950-62, AC3
There seems to be no debate over
tactical factions at all.
10.06 party purges
0 for 1950-62, AC3
There were no party purges
mentioned in the literature.
Involvement Variables, 11.01-11.06
11.01 membership requirements
0 for 1950-62, AC3
The literature mentions no
membership requirements.
11.02 membership
participation
AC1
No information.
11.03 material
incentives
AC1
No information.
11.04 purposive
incentives
2, AC3
As a farmers' party with greatest
strength in the rural areas, Progressive Party militants are
assumed to work for the promotion of agricultural
interests.
11.05 doctrinism
0 for 1950-62, AC3
There was no reference to party
literature in our file, and it is assumed that there is no
identifiable body of party doctrine.