AN ANALYSIS OF THE DYNAMICS BETWEEN POLITICAL PARTIES AND POLITICAL ECONOMY STRUCTURES THROUGH THEORETICAL LITERATURE FRAMEWORKS

Authors

  • Anek Sookdee Faculty of Social Sciences and Local Development, PibulsongkramRajabhat University

Keywords:

Dynamics, Political Parties, Political Economy Structure

Abstract

This article offers a theoretical analysis of the dynamics shaping the relationship between political parties and political economy structures through a synthesis of political economy literature as its analytical foundation. Employing a qualitative research design based on documentary analysis, the study engages with mainstream political economy perspectives, Marxist theory, and New Institutionalism to examine how political parties are embedded within structural contexts at both global and Thai levels. The analysis demonstrate that political parties are not merely electoral organizations competing for state power; rather, they operate as interactive nexuses connecting the state, market, and society. Their organizational behavior and political strategies are shaped by three structural dimensions: 1. institutional and historical conditions that produce path-dependent trajectories; 2. class relations that position parties either as instruments of elite interests or as arenas for negotiating redistributive claims; and 3. ethnic-based resource allocation that structures political competition and access to policy benefits. In the Thai context, these dynamics are manifested in a hybridized party system characterized by patronage networks and capital influence, generating structural imbalances between economic elites and grassroots citizens. The analysis suggests that advancing sustainable democracy requires a strategic shift from short-term populist resource distribution toward the institutional development of a universal welfare state capable of rebalancing social bargaining power and mitigating structural inequality.

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Published

2026-04-25

How to Cite

Sookdee, A. (2026). AN ANALYSIS OF THE DYNAMICS BETWEEN POLITICAL PARTIES AND POLITICAL ECONOMY STRUCTURES THROUGH THEORETICAL LITERATURE FRAMEWORKS. Journal of MCU Social Science Review, 15(2), 210–221. retrieved from https://so03.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jssr/article/view/297185