Electoral Systems and Party Systems: A Study of Twenty-Seven Democracies, 1945-1990 (Comparative Politics) - Softcover

Lijphart, Arend

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0198280548 ISBN 13: 9780198280545

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1995

Synopsis

The most fundamental element of representative democracy is the electoral system--translating citizens' votes into representatives' seats. Electoral systems are also the most practical and accessible instrument available to democratic reformers. This systematic and comprehensive study describes and classifies 70 electoral systems used by 27 democracies including those of Western Europe, the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, India, Israel, Japan, and New Zealand. Using comparative and statistical analysis of these systems, Arend Lijphart demonstrates the effect of the electoral formula used, the number of representatives elected per district, electoral thresholds, and five other key features of electoral systems on the proportionality of the election outcome, the degree of multipartisanism, and the creation of majority parties. In the process, he reveals that electoral systems are neither as diverse nor as complex as is usually assumed. The most definitive treatment of the subject since Rae's classic study in 1967, this book is based on more accurate and comprehensive data covering more countries and a longer time-span and uses stronger hypotheses and better analytical methods. The unique information and analysis it offers will make it essential reading for scholars and students of comparative politics.

About this title

From the Back Cover

An electoral system is the most fundamental element of representative democracy, translating citizen's votes into representative's seats. It is also the most potent practical instrument available to democratic reformers. This systematic and comprehensive study describes and classifies the 70 electoral systems used by 27 democracies - including those of Western Europe, Australia, Canada, the USA, Costa Rica, India, Israel, Japan, and New Zealand - for 384 national legislative and European Parliament elections between 1945 and 1990. Using comparative and statistical analyses of these systems, Arend Lijphart demonstrates the effect of the electoral formula used, the number of representatives elected per district, electoral thresholds, and five other key features of electoral systems on the proportionality of the election outcome, the degree of multipartism, and the creation of majority parties. In the process he reveals that electoral systems are neither as diverse nor as complex as is often assumed. Electoral Systems and Party Systems represents the most definitive treatment of the subject since Rae's classic study in 1967, based as it is on more accurate and comprehensive data (covering more countries and a longer time-span), and using stronger hypotheses and better analytical methods. The unique information and analysis it offers will make it essential reading for everyone working in the field.

About the Author

Arend Lijphart is President-Elect of the American Political Science Association and is the author of a large number of other books including: Power-Sharing in South Africa (University of California, 1985) Democracies: Patterns of Majoritarian and Consensus Government in 21 Countries (Yale
University Press, 1984 [new ed. forthcoming]) Electoral Laws and their Political Consequences (ed. with Bernard Grofman, Agathon Press, 1986) Choosing an Electoral System: Issues and Alternatives (ed. with Bernard Grofman, Praeger, 1984) Parliamentary vs Presidential Government (ed, OUP,
1992)

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0198280548
• ISBN 13: 9780198280545
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 228