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.. bibsource:: ../papers.bib
.. pub-details:: elff:RiLe.reductio

.. abstract::

   The RiLe Index based on the data from the Manifesto Project is one of the
   most widespread measures of parties’ political or ideological
   positions. Despite being subject to criticism from various authors, it does
   not seem to have lost in popularity or reputation. Even in 2020 a paper can
   get published in the American Political Science Review that rests its main
   argument on this index. There may be a variety of reasons for the continued
   popularity of this index: (1) that it gives the ”right” results, (2) that its
   construction is conveniently simple and easy to understand, (3) alternatives
   often involve complicated substantial and methodological considerations that
   seem intransparent to most applied researchers, and (4) criticisms usually
   are buried in appendices of methodological papers that propose alternatives.
   The paper addresses this situation as it highlights the (implicit)
   assumptions that justify the construction of the RiLe index and demonstrates
   some paradoxical implications of these assumptions: The better the fit
   between these assumptions and reality, the more the RiLe index both
   exaggerates and occludes the actual movements of political parties. The
   consequences of these distortions are illustrated by a re-analysis of recent
   publications. While the MarPor data are an invaluable and irreplaceable
   source of information about parties’ political positions, the RILE index is
   clearly not best way to make use of them.

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