Establishing Similarities and Dissimilarities

Abstract

The model specification and operationalization presented in Chapter 4 can, of course, only provide a certain approximation and is open to further modification. Still, despite the rather rudimentary manner in which categories and variables were selected, it leaves us with altogether 63 variables for the 18 cases included in our project. Each case can thus be characterized with its particular configuration, thereby replacing “proper names … by the relevant variables” (Przeworski and Teune 1970: 30). However, the differences remain considerable. Across all variables the minimum variation is 14 for the two “most similar” cases Estonia and Finland. It is 17 for Belgium — the Netherlands or Germany — Austria.