TOPIC 3- HOW TO ANALYSE ELECTORAL SYSTEMS

Question 1

WHAT ARE FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN ANALYSING ELECTORAL SYSTEMS?

Answer 1

1. PROPORTIONALITY
2. STABILITY OF GOVT
3. STRENGTH OF MANDATE
4. LEVEL OF CHOICE
5. LINK WITH CONSTIUENCY
6. EQUALITY OF VOTES

Question 2

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPORTIONALITY?

Answer 2

IMPORTANT THAT GOVT R A TRUE REFLECTION OF PUBLIC INTEREST. EXPECTED THAT A PARTY WITH 30% VOTES ACHIEVES ROUGHLY 30% SEATS. IF NOT LEGITIMACY OF RESULT IS QUESTIONED

Question 3

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF A STABLE GOVT?

Answer 3

CERTAIN ELECTORAL SYSTEMS LEAD TO COALITIONS WHICH CAN LEAD TO WEAK GOVT THAT DON’T LAST FULL TERM AND REQUIRE FRESH ELECTIONS( EXPENSIVE AND NO CONSISTENCY). GOVT THAT IS TOO STRONG MAY NOT LISTEN TO PUBLIC AND UNDERMINE DEMOCRATIC NATURE.

Question 4

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF A STRONG MANDATE?

Answer 4

ALLOWS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES FROM A MANIFESTO. LARGE MAJORITY CREATES STRONG GOVT ALLOWING FOR EASY PURSUING OF THEIR POLICY PROGRAME BUT WEAKER MANDATE MAY DELAY OR ELIMINATE CERTAIN POLICIES.

Question 5

WHY IS LEVEL OF CHOICE IMPORTANT?

Answer 5

TRULY DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS MUST OFFER VOTERS A WIDE RANGE OF CANDIDATES BUT SOME SYSTEMS CAUSE 2 OR 3 PARTY SYSTEMS MAKING IT HARDER FOR SMALL PARTY REPRESENTATION( MAY PREVENT EXTREMISM THOUGH)

Question 6

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF LINKS WITH CONSTIUENCIES?

Answer 6

IN SOME SYSTEMS, MULTIPLE REPRESENTATIVES COVER LARGE AREAS WHICH MAY WEAKEN THEIR DIRECT LINK TO THE ELECTORATE BUT MULTIPLE REPRESENTATIVES MEANS THAT VOTERS ARE LIKELY TO HAVE SOME 1 THEY VOTED FOR THAT THEY CAN CONTACT.

Question 7

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF EQUALITY OF VOTES?

Answer 7

DEMOCRACY IS BASED ON PRINCIPLE OF 1 PERSON 1 VOTE BUT SOME SYSTEMS CREATE WASTED VOTES DUE TO LARGE MAJORITIES AND TIGHTER CONSTIUENCIES MAY CREATE SWING VOTES.