POLITSC 1200H Study Guide - Quiz Guide: Advocacy Group, Proportional Representation, Multiseat Configuration
3 Dec 2015
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Political demands of individuals and groups are combined into policy programs. Extremely consequential: whose voice is heard; what type of policy is created. How and whether parties can implement citizen/constituent interests depends on institutions. Federal state: policy authority concentrated in the center, multiple levels of sovereignty, center and subunits make binding decisions, sovereign powers flow upward from subunits. Bicameral legislature with one chamber based on each principle: Representation by population and equal representation by territorial units. Electoral rules associated with consensus vs. majoritarian systems. Elections should have clear winners. (puts advantage of large party over smaller ones) Plurality electoral rules: power won by the candidate that claims the most votes. All parties small and large should have a percentage of seats in the legislature roughly equal to their percentage of the votes. To whom should the government be responsive when citizens disagree.
