Evidence supporting the Schlozman and Verba hypothesis that unemployment leads to abandonment of affiliation with the incumbent party is questioned in light of the Niemi et al. critique of partisan recall data. The 1974-1976 CPS National Election Panel provides more appropriate data for testing the hypothesis. Support for the hypothesis is not as strong as Schlozman and Verba's analysis would suggest. However, the panel data do lend some credence to the proposition that job loss will lead to erosion of political support for the incumbent party.
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