week 4 inter Flashcards
! What are the three/four main party systems
- (dominant) one party:
- two-party
- multi-party
! what are the three majority-plurality voting systems? (and explain them)
- simple plurality (First past the post): candidate with most votes (simple majority) wins seat of district. often used with single-member districts (US, UK, Canada)
- second ballot: winning candidate needs absolute majority, otherwise second round (runoff) with two best candidates (France, Brazil)
- alternative vote: voters mark first and subsequent preferences of candidates for their constituency. If there is no absolute majority, the candidate with least votes is eliminated and its first preferences-votes get redistributed until there is an absolute majority. (Australia’s lower house)
! what are the three proportional voting systems?
- list pr system: seats are distributed on national basis, and number of seats won is proportional to share of vote. parties rank their candidates on preference and small parties can be eliminated through minimum treshold (denmark, france, spain)
- STV: voters rank candidate and the elected candidates need either need to get a specific number of first preferences or second preferences are taken into account as well. if there is still no absolute majority, third preferences are raken into account. this must be in combination with multi-member constituencies
- mixed-member proportionality: combines plurality-majority (FPTP) with list pr system to keep the link between representatives and constituencies, and proportionality (certain number of seats) (Germany, Hungary, New Zealand)
! what are the two semi-pr systems?
- parallel system: consists of combination of plurality-majority (FPTP) and list PR where there can be disproportionality (Japan)
- SNTV: combines multi-member constituencies and single majority vote (FPTP)
! what is gerrymandering?
Gerrymandering is the deliberate restructuring of electoral districts that creates an unequal advantage for a specific group, party or class.
What are explanations to voting turnout (system variables)?
- importance of elections (national>European)
- democratic elections
- electoral system (prop. highest turnout)
- close, competitive elections
- frequency of elections
- first democratic elections (have higher turnout)
What are three new voting patterns?
- left-right division: parties and voting could be located on single continuum ranging from communist and revolutionary socialist ones on left to conservative and fascist on the right. class becomes less important
- partisan de-alignment: decline in strength of attachment regarding political parties
- volatility: opposite of stability and involves change in voting patters from one election to another –> churning
What is the sociological approach to party voting?
Columbia School (Paul Lazarsfeld): people vote according to membership of social group and social groups vote for party that best serves their interests. Race, language, religion, gender and occupation are most important determinants
what is the psychological approach to party voting?
Michigan School (Angus Campbell): psychological orientation, individual characteristics and role of party identification are determinants for voters. Funnel of causality (!) is used to weigh importance of all variables that affect voting behavior.
what is does rational choice theory (Anthony Downs) holds regarding party voting?
voters select package of party policies that best fit their preferences. Candidates should locate themselves to median voter to maximize their chances of victory.
what are the different party organizations & what are the new developments
- caucus parties: loose alliance of like-minded people, mainly few centuries ago
- mass parties: (20th century) characterized by large membership and bureaucratic, centralized, hierarchical form of organization
- catch all parties: (1970s) try to attract broad range of support by advocating rather general policies
new devlopments: - media parties
- cartel parties
- electoral professional parties
What are the seven political party families
1 socialist
2 christian democratic
3 argarian
4 liberal
5 conservative
6 nationalist/populist
7 green parties
What is the Iron Law of Oligarchy (Robert Michels)?
- all large scale organizations are controlled by a few leaders, because certain people have superior organizational skills and the masses rely on leaders for direction and guidance
- critics: there are examples of private organizations that are not oligarchical
what is Duverger’s Law (Maurice Duverger)?
- states with non-proportional elections favor 2 parties, while proportional elections favor multi-party
-Non-proportional elections usually discriminate against small parties because they fail to turn their votes into proportional number of seats (wasted vote)
What is Coalition theory?
- (William Riker): minimal winning coalitions and like-minded allies, because politicians were motivated primarily by desire for power and implementation of policies
- (Maurice Axelrod): coalitions might be smallest to drive policy in particular direction
- (Giovanni Sartori): tries to reconcile both theories^^. Both number and ideological distance between parties is important to understand multi-party systems and government formations. he distinguishes between moderate pluralism (3-5 parties compete) and polarized pluralism (6+ parties compete)
