Electoral System Design


Book Description

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Electoral Systems and Democracy


Book Description

As the number of democracies has increased around the world, a heated debate has emerged among political scientists about which system best promotes the consolidation of democracy. This book compares the experiences of diverse countries, from Latin America to southern Africa, from Uruguay, Japan, and Taiwan to Israel, Afghanistan, and Iraq.




Coalition Politics in Lesotho


Book Description

Ever since independence from Britain in 1966, Lesotho has been an experimental laboratory of various governance models. The country has experienced multi-party models, plain dictatorships, one-party dominated models, military juntas and, recently, coalition governments. The advent of coalition politics since 2012 has brought a paradigmatic shift in the entire socio-political landscape in the country. This era has, hitherto, largely remained under-studied. Coalition Politics in Lesotho is the first book-long study specifically dedicated to this significant era in the country’s history. Edited by the two leading politico-legal scholars on Lesotho, the book is a multi-disciplinary study of the implications of coalitions for governance and development.




Elections and Conflict Management in Africa


Book Description

Elections have emerged as one of the most important, and most contentious, features of political life on the African continent. In the first half of this decade, there were more than 20 national elections, serving largely as capstones of peace processes or transitions to democracies. The outcomes of these and more recent elections have been remarkably varied, and the relationship between elections and conflict management is widely debated throughout Africa and among international observers. Elections can either help reduce tensions by reconstituting legitimate government, or they can exacerbate them by further polarizing highly conflictual societies. This timely volume examines the relationship between elections, especially electoral systems, and conflict management in Africa, while also serving as an important reference for other regions. The book brings together for the first time the latest thinking on the many different roles elections can play in democratization and conflict management.




The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Systems


Book Description

No subject is more central to the study of politics than elections. All across the globe, elections are a focal point for citizens, the media, and politicians long before--and sometimes long after--they occur. Electoral systems, the rules about how voters' preferences are translated into election results, profoundly shape the results not only of individual elections but also of many other important political outcomes, including party systems, candidate selection, and policy choices. Electoral systems have been a hot topic in established democracies from the UK and Italy to New Zealand and Japan. Even in the United States, events like the 2016 presidential election and court decisions such as Citizens United have sparked advocates to promote change in the Electoral College, redistricting, and campaign-finance rules. Elections and electoral systems have also intensified as a field of academic study, with groundbreaking work over the past decade sharpening our understanding of how electoral systems fundamentally shape the connections among citizens, government, and policy. This volume provides an in-depth exploration of the origins and effects of electoral systems.




Democracy in Africa


Book Description

This book provides the first comprehensive overview of the history of democracy in Africa and explains why the continent's democratic experiments have so often failed, as well as how they could succeed. Nic Cheeseman grapples with some of the most important questions facing Africa and democracy today, including whether international actors should try and promote democracy abroad, how to design political systems that manage ethnic diversity, and why democratic governments often make bad policy decisions. Beginning in the colonial period with the introduction of multi-party elections and ending in 2013 with the collapse of democracy in Mali and South Sudan, the book describes the rise of authoritarian states in the 1970s; the attempts of trade unions and some religious groups to check the abuse of power in the 1980s; the remarkable return of multiparty politics in the 1990s; and finally, the tragic tendency for elections to exacerbate corruption and violence.




The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Systems


Book Description

No subject is more central to the study of politics than elections. Electoral systems--the rules about how voters' preferences are translated into election results--profoundly shape important political outcomes, including party systems, candidate selection, and policy choices. This volume provides an in-depth exploration of the origins and effects of electoral systems.







Mixed Electoral System


Book Description

Discover the transformative impact of electoral systems with "Mixed Electoral System," part of the "Political Science" series. This book explores how combining various voting methods within one electoral framework influences representation, party dynamics, and voter satisfaction across different political landscapes. Chapter Overview: 1-Mixed Electoral System-Understand how mixed electoral systems blend voting methods for fairer outcomes. 2-Proportional Representation-Learn how proportional representation ensures that election results reflect diverse voter opinions. 3-Additional Member System-Explore how combining single-member districts with party-list seats increases proportionality. 4-Mixed-Member Proportional Representation-Study how this system merges majoritarian and proportional methods for balanced results. 5-Parallel Voting-See how Parallel Voting uses separate majoritarian and proportional systems in one election. 6-Party-List System-Discover how parties are allocated seats in proportion to their vote share. 7-Semi-Proportional Representation-Investigate the middle ground between majoritarian and proportional systems. 8-Majoritarian Representation-Learn how this system prioritizes candidates with broad voter support. 9-Dual-Member Proportional Representation-Examine how multi-member districts improve proportionality. 10-Mixed-Member Majoritarian Representation-Understand how majoritarian and proportional elements are combined. 11-Plurality Voting-Discover the system where the candidate with the most votes wins. 12-First-Past-the-Post Voting-Study how candidates with the most votes in single-member districts are elected. 13-2007 Ontario Electoral Reform Referendum-Analyze the debate and impact of electoral reform in Ontario. 14-Electoral System of Scotland-Explore Scotland’s unique blend of proportional and majoritarian elements. 15-Electoral Reform-Learn about the significance of electoral reform in improving democracy. 16-Electoral System-Gain a broader view of how different systems affect democratic representation. 17-Scorporo-Study Scorporo, an innovative approach to proportional representation. 18-Rural–Urban Proportional Representation-Discover how this system addresses the needs of rural and urban areas. 19-Mixed Single Vote-Explore how the Mixed Single Vote blends majoritarian and proportional methods. 20-Mixed Ballot Transferable Vote-Understand the influence of vote transferability on proportional outcomes. 21-Next Italian General Election-Get insights into the anticipated impacts of the upcoming Italian election. "Mixed Electoral System" provides invaluable knowledge about electoral systems that shape governance worldwide. This guide offers readers a thorough understanding of voting frameworks and their practical applications, equipping you with knowledge that far exceeds the book’s cost.