The talk party fouls this week. the ones we have committed and how to become the ultimate party guest.

We restate and clarify the idea of the "party," a concept that has found considerable traction in studies of parties throughout the world, including those far from the original research site and data on which the model was based. The party thesis holds that parties increasingly function like cartels, employing the resources of the state to limit competition and ensure their own success. The thesis has been subject to varied empirical testing and substantial theoretical evaluation and criticism. Against this background, we look again at the party thesis to clarify ambiguities and misinterpretations of the original argument.