From disadvantage to advantage?

Abstract Chapter 2 presents the argument that liberal parties should enjoy far greater electoral success in the twenty-first century. It begins by reviewing the literature on liberalism and liberal parties. While holding economically pro-market and culturally cosmopolitan policy positions fits well with the liberal ideological tradition, scholars have identified these positions as historically disadvantageous for liberal parties, as they cannot be identified with a coherent left-right position. However, I argue that this disadvantage should no longer apply, given evidence that fewer voters conform to consistent left-right positions in the twenty-first century. Consequently, liberal parties should be uniquely well placed to appeal to voters holding ‘market cosmopolitan’ preferences, whose numbers should have increased in recent years. Finally, however, the chapter notes that the theoretical expectation of liberal parties increasing their popular support is not borne out by the empirical reality, as support for liberals remains stagnant at best.