Task 5 - REPRESENTATION AND ELECTIONS Flashcards
- Theories of Representation. Name the 4
- Trusteeship
- Delegation
- The Mandate
- Resemblance
1.1 Trusteeship model. Who + Core theme
–> Trustee: Person who acts on behalf of other using superior knowledge and greater experience
Core theme: Serve constituents through mature judgement + enlightened conscience
1.1 Trusteeship model. Characterstics (4)
1.Representation as moral duty (actions in the interest of the less fortunate)
2. Elitist implications
3. ‘Mass does not know their best interest’
4. Anti-democratic implications
1.1 Trusteeship Model. Drawbacks
- Knowledge is unequally distributed
- No evidence that education = altruism
- Elitist
- Anti-democratic
1.2 Delegate Model. who?
–> Delegate: Acts as a conduit conveying views of others (no own judgement)
1.2 Delegate Model. Characteristics
- Politicians bound to views of represented
- Elections
- Short terms
- Use of referendum
- Broader opportunities for pop participation
- Checks self-serving inclinations
1.2 Delegate Model. Drawbacks
- Breeds narrowness
- Fosters conflicts
- Limits scope of leadership and statemanship
1.3 Mandate Model. Who?
–> In winning election, a party gains popular mandate that authorizes it to carry out policies and programmes outlined during campaign
1.3 Mandate Model. Characteristics
- Politicians serve by remaining loyal to their party and policies
- Provides a meaning on election results
- Keeps politicians to their word
1.3 Mandate Model. Drawbacks
- based on questionable model of voting behavior (voters not always rational)
- manifesto commitments
- imposes straitjacket (limits gov to policies taken during election)
- applied in case of majoritarian systems
1.4 Resemblance Model. Who?
–> embodied in idea of a ‘representative cross-section’, who constitute a micocosm of the larger society
1.4 Resemblance Model. Characteristics
- representation of all society groups
- descriptive
- only a member of minority group can represent the interests of the group
- better decisions for common good
- e.g cantones
- ELECTIONS. Functions of elections. Name 3 views
- Conventional
- Radical
- Reality
2.1 Functions of elections. Conventional view
–> Mechanism for pol to be called to account and forced to introduce policies reflecting public opinion
- Pol recruitments
- Making gov
- Influencing policy
2.1 FoE. Radical view
–> Means through which govs and pol elites can exercise control over their populations
- Building legitimacy
- shaping pulic opinion
- strengthening elites
2.1 FoE. Reality
–> Two-way street
- Gov and people, elites and the masses haev an opportunity to influence each other
2.2 Electoral systems. What?
Set of rules that governs the conduct of elections. They vary accross the world
2.2 Majoritarian vs Proportional systems. Based on how they convert votes into seats
- Majoritarian: larger parties win a higher proportion of seats than the proportion of votes they gain in election (more chances for small parties)
- Proportional: Guarantee an equal relationship btw the seats won by a party and the votes gained in the election
- Multiparty systems and coalition
2.2 The Debate: Majoritarian advantages
- Evaluated in terms of gov functions (stable rule):
- proper and clear translation of manifesto into programme
- effective rule
2.2. Debate: Majoritarian disadvantages
- Evaluated in terms of representation:
Distorts pop preferences
Unfairness to large parties
Overfairness to large parties and geographically concentrated support
Two-party systems manufactured (Do not reflect the distribution of pop preferences)
2.2 Debate: Proportional systems. Advantages
Evaluated in terms of rep functions:
- Coalition govs are usually unstable
- Endless process of reconciling opposing views
- Internal splits and divisions
2.2 Debate: Proportional systems. Disadvantages
Evaluated in terms of gov functions:
- Coalition govs are usually unstable
- Endless process of reconciling opposing views
- Internal splits and divisions
