Participating in Politics

Thursday June 18th, 2015

Legitimacy: ‘degree to which citizens accept the actions…of government [and] state actors’◦ Democratic Legitimacy

Representative or Indirect Democracy

Direct Democracy

Reviewing Important Terms

Voting: “the aspect of the voter-government relationship…the opportunity for individual citizens to choose politicians who best meet their interests and preferences”

Typical Rules on Voting:◦ Age restrictions◦ Citizenship

◦ Fairness? Means testing

On Voting…

Who gets to run?◦ Parties, independents, age, wealth

Rotten and Pocket Boroughs

Gerrymandering

Apathy vs Boredom◦ Compulsory voting?◦ Who votes?

Challenges to Voting in a Democracy

Turnout in Canada (source Elections Canada)

Source: The Economist

A Trend in Western Democracies?

The more work participation requires of citizens, the less likely they are to participate

Important variables that impact participation, age, gender, class and political attitudes◦ Putnam: Bowling Alone◦ Nevitte: a shift in sites of political participation?

Least Shocking Statistics Ever!

Non-Proportional◦ FPTP (Canada, US, UK)◦ Majoritarian

Run-off System (France-President), Alternative (Australia – House of Reps)

Proportional◦ Party List System (Israel)◦ STV (Ireland; Australia - Senate)

Mixed Systems◦ Additional Member System/Top-up System◦ Mixed Member Proportional (Germany, New Zealand)

Electoral Systems

The primary goal of non-proportional system is to emphasize local candidate◦ Pluralities usually win◦ Vote % and seat % are not =◦ Wasted votes◦ Works best in 2 party system (own problems)

The primary goal of PR systems is to have a proportional outcome ◦ vote % = seats %◦ Multi-member districts◦ Fewer wasted votes (thresholds)◦ Less focus on local (districts much larger)◦ Formula: total number of votes (+1)

total number of seats +1

Primary Differences in Function and Outcomes

The primary goal of Mixed Member Proportional or ‘top-up’ systems are to emphasize the positives of both, while limiting negatives.

◦ Local candidates◦ More proportionality◦ Fewer wasted votes◦ More parties◦ Regional emphasis too

Primary Differences in Function and Outcomes Cont…

Political Party: “political parties are organized groups that place members as candidates for election with the goal of governing the political system” – MacLeod and Wood

Agglomeration of ideas (a call-back to political philosophy)◦ Based either on ideologies or political values in the system

Have become part of political identity

What is democracy without parties?

Political Parties

Party System: “interaction among relevant parties that shapes political competition and the nature of government formation” – Stewart

How many parties contest elections?How many parties can win legislative seats?How many parties can win government?

One party dominant, two party, multi-party, ◦ And a half party?

Party Systems

Typology:

◦ Cadre Parties Made up of a small group of notables/elites, small

membership, no say in policy, privately funded◦ Mass Parties

Inclusive party, ideological, large membership, significant voice in policy, small donation driven

◦ Catch-all parties Non-ideological, large membership, but less say in

policy (something for everyone)

Types of Political Parties

Recent development:◦ Electoral-Professional Parties

Run by professionals, not volunteers, leader-oriented, membership largely ignored to benefit of wider public, low funding from membership

◦ Brokerage Parties Essentially, specific to Canada, aggregate interests

to overcome cleavages, build coalitions of interest, ‘franchise system

◦ Interest Parties

Types of Political Parties Cont…

Making public policy◦ Used to be primary function of parties◦ Meeting held frequently (every 1-2 years), where

party members debate policy◦ “Official party policy” not too official

Elite recruitment function◦ Party affiliation essentially necessary for election◦ Membership plays role (usually) in selecting

nominees

What do Parties do?

Governments, Votes and Elections◦ Party leadership selects executive◦ Party leadership negotiates alliances◦ Organizes members of the legislature

Party discipline and the Whip

So how successful are parties?◦ Emphasis on leader, rather than membership◦ Membership’s role, ultimately, in choosing leaders

Policy change no longer from grassroots, but from change in personnel

More things that Parties do…

Different states have different rules governing when elections are called ◦ some states have different rules for different parts

of the government

How does one win an election?◦ What’s stronger? A positive or negative message?

◦ Negative campaigns, attacks ads and contrast ads

Election Campaigns

Primary source of information for public◦ Concentration of ownership

‘Horse race’ has become dominant style of coverage

Sound-byte politics

Image politics

Elections in the Media

Electoral financing ‘rules’◦ Canada – capped political donations, capped

spending; parties and third party advertisers $1200.00 ($1500 this year)

◦ US, less so (2002; 2010) – Citizens United◦ Limits derived from concept of ‘equity’ and

fairness Theoretical limit in the US is $117,000 every two

years◦ Money = Speech/Expression?

PACs and Super PACs

Election Financing

Few countries use direct democracy regularly, but many have some variants

Referendums/Plebiscites◦ States in the US, BC, Canada for Constitutional

Matters, the EU for major Constitutional Matters Initiative

◦ BC, California Recall

◦ BC, California

Direct Democracy