“This paper investigates the electoral effect of party policy shifts. I argue that whether party policy shifts are damaging or rewarding depends on whether the shift occurs in the pragmatic or principled issue domain. On pragmatic issues, voters value “getting things done.” Policy shifts in this domain signal responsiveness to the changing environment and are likely to be rewarded. Principled issues, however, concern core beliefs and values. Any policy shift in this domain is a sign of inconsistency and lack of credibility, which is likely to lead to voter withdrawal. These arguments are supported by evidence from 23 advanced democracies over a period of 40 years.”
For further research;
"…might examine further how pragmatism versus principles factor into representational linkages and why sometimes one is valued over the other. An individual level analysis of voting decisions in the two domains would be an especially desirable and fruitful avenue for future research. Policy shifts are not simply vote-winning tactics in the hands of political parties but have important consequences to electoral volatility and party system instability. These shifts and their electoral effects can provide valuable insights about both representation and political competition."
Learned about it via Overcoming Bias
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