Political forces rise by dismantling and recoding competitors’ existing elements

Evidence

The radical Right does not therefore appear out of thin air. It has to be understood in direct relation to alternative political formations attempting to occupy and command the same space. It is engaged in a struggle for hegemony, within the dominant bloc, against both social democracy and the moderate wing of its own party. Not only is it operating in the same space: it is working directly on the contradictions within those competing positions. The strength of its intervention lies partly in the radicalism of its commitment to break the mold and not simply to rework the elements of the prevailing “philosophies.” In doing so, it nevertheless takes the elements which are already constructed into place, dismantles them, reconstitutes them into a new logic, and articulates the space in a new way, polarizing it to the Right. — Hall, Stuart, Essential Essays, Volume 1, 1102

Categorization

• DEFINE: This is a concrete working demonstration of Hall’s concept of articulation: taking pre-existing ideological elements and reconstituting them into a new logic, polarizing the field Rightward.
• XREF: connects to: Neutralizing opponents and mobilizing supporters are interchangeable entrenchment tactics — Daryl Levinson and Benjamin I. Sachs, Political Entrenchment and Public Law, 247; Incumbents use policy to both neutralize opposition and mobilize supporters to entrench themselves. — Daryl Levinson and Benjamin I. Sachs, Political Entrenchment and Public Law, 247