LAUSR

ABSTRACT Political parties are enjoying renewed interest in political philosophy, but still require justification. This article engages constructively with Robert Goodin's argument for parties and party competition. It suggests that while Goodin's argument for parties is attractive, its rejection of post-electoral coalitions is untenable from a democratic perspective. It refashions Goodin's argument to attend to the values of pluralism and compromise, arguing that this benefits Goodin's position as post-electoral compromises mitigate ideational incoherence resulting from changes in governing party.