>>>Max, I have an alternative hypothesis - the level of bullshit remains
>>>constant in all of the above.
>>>That hypothesis is informed by the theory of organizational isomorphism
>>>(cf. DiMaggio, Paul and Walter Powell, 1983, The Iron Cage Revisited:
>>>Institutional Isomorphism and Collective Rationality in Organization
>>>Fields, American Sociological Review, 48(2):147-160.). In short this
>>>theory says that organizations tend to become more alike to each other
>>>because of isomorphic (or homogenizing) forces; on of such key homogenizing
>>>forces is the professionalization of the organizational cadres, as th
>>>eprofessional tend to mimick each other to implement what they perceive a
>>>"successful model" as well as to implement standard models they learn
>>>through professional training.
>>>That hypothesis received substantial empirical support. A good example is
>>>hospital industry where standards of professionalism override any potential
>>>difference that may come from the legal status (public, nonprofit,
>>>forprofit) or denominational character of the institution.
>>>Political parties are organizations - and the level of bullshit depends on
>>>the level of professionalization of their cadres. As political parties
>>>become more and more professionalized, their level of bullshit becomes the
>>>same - regardless of their explicit ideologies. This is so, because
>>>profesional activists have been processed through that meat grinder aka
>>>educational system that forces the same pulp fiction into the minds of the
>>>subjects, forces them into the same mold of thinking considered 'standard'
>>>(cf. policy analysis, giving 'equal weight' and 'balancing' of diverging
>>>points of views, quantitative jargon, etc.), kills originality and
>>>imagination. At the same time, college and later professional
>>>organizations offer a peer bonding experience aka 'networking' - not just
>>>fraternities, but the fact of attending the same institution. As a result,
>>>professional cadres have much more in common with each other (regardless
>>>which party they work for) than with the constituencies they are supposed
>>>to represent.
>>>Professionalization of cadres can explain the isomorphism, and the same
>>>level of bullshit, among Soviet-style communist parties. I think the
>>>Soviets pioneered international professional political organizing (they
>>>probably learned that from the Catholic Church) by sending cadres of
>>>formally trained professional organizers to their satellite countries.
>>>That explains the monoculture of communist parties that many educated
>>>Westerners so much resented.
>>>The point is, however, that Ivy-League, law-school, policy-analysis
>>>processed professional cadres instill the same monoculture to various
>>>organizations they staff or lead - only that their monoculture, schmoozing
>>>style, shibboleths and jargon are diffrenet from those developed by
>>>communist party cadres. Same principle - different style.
>>>>From that perspective - all political parties become more and more alike,
>>>regardless of their ideologies and constituencies. Just as Blairs,
>>>Schroeders and Jospins are carbon copies of each other and their boss
>>>Clinton, so are their professional cadres, and their respective
>>>organizations. I am pretty sure that profesional cadres of, say, the
>>>Republican party in the US and, say, Labour Party in the UK or Social
>>>Democrats in Germany are much closer to each other than their
>>>constituencies. In the same vein, a union bureaucrat has more in common
>>>with a corporate bureaucrat than with the rank and file. I would venture
>>>as far as saying that professional organizers of, say the Green Party in
>>>the US would not have any major problems switching to, say, Republicans -
>>>if offered a chance (meaning: professional networks).
>>>To summarize, professionalism is killing political discourse and driving a
>>>wedge before "old style" party politics and constituencies.
>>>Professionalism is transforming political parties into political machines
>>>full of professional jargon and newspeak aka "bullshit" and "spin." And as
>>>all political parties become professionalized, their level of bullshit and
>>>spin is more or less the same - regardless of the political ideology
>>>(window-dressing) or constituency (milking cow).
>>>BTW, that supports you original claim that both Doug and Louis would make
>>>poor cadres of the communist, or any other, party.
>>>best
>>>wojtek