POLI 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: One Member, One Vote, Leadership Review, Westminster System
6 Dec 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Party leader is dominant person in the party. Normally sit in parliament or provincial legislature before selected as leader. Creates small group of advisors that effective cut them off from party as a whole. Is able to select the key positions within parliamentary caucus. Iron law of oligarchy notes that even in parties that utilize the omov model, a small elite develops and party members have little power. Most parties have some sort of leadership review process that ensures that leader maintains support of the party. Three basic models for selecting party leaders in westminster system: 1. One member, one vote: historically, canadian parties used caucus model, but as parties democratized, evolved to convention model to one member one vote model. Party leader selected by serving members of parliament from serving members of parliament. Fell by the wayside in 1919 liberal party first party in a westminster system to abandon it. Party leader selected by delegates to a national convention.
