Regionalism, cabinet stability and Canada's electoral system: The effect of district magnitude

Canadian Journal of Political Science

Volumn 29, Issue 3, 1996, Pages 497-518

  Sutherland, Neil ^a  

^a NONE   (Canada)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0041350920     PISSN: 00084239     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/s0008423900008210     Document Type: Article

References (25)

1. Garth Stevenson, Unfulfilled Union: Canadian Federalism and National Unity (Toronto: Gage, 1989). Other central government institutions with a role in regional representation are the cabinet and the parties. See, for example, Herman Bakvis, ed., Representation, Integration and Political Parties in Canada, Research Study for the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing (Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada, 1991); Herman Bakvis, Regional Ministers: Power and Influence in the Canadian Cabinet (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1991); and William A. Matheson, The Prime Minister and Cabinet (Toronto: Methuen, 1976).
2. Garth Stevenson, Unfulfilled Union: Canadian Federalism and National Unity (Toronto: Gage, 1989). Other central government institutions with a role in regional representation are the cabinet and the parties. See, for example, Herman Bakvis, ed., Representation, Integration and Political Parties in Canada, Research Study for the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing (Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada, 1991); Herman Bakvis, Regional Ministers: Power and Influence in the Canadian Cabinet (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1991); and William A. Matheson, The Prime Minister and Cabinet (Toronto: Methuen, 1976).
3. Garth Stevenson, Unfulfilled Union: Canadian Federalism and National Unity (Toronto: Gage, 1989). Other central government institutions with a role in regional representation are the cabinet and the parties. See, for example, Herman Bakvis, ed., Representation, Integration and Political Parties in Canada, Research Study for the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing (Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada, 1991); Herman Bakvis, Regional Ministers: Power and Influence in the Canadian Cabinet (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1991); and William A. Matheson, The Prime Minister and Cabinet (Toronto: Methuen, 1976).
4. Garth Stevenson, Unfulfilled Union: Canadian Federalism and National Unity (Toronto: Gage, 1989). Other central government institutions with a role in regional representation are the cabinet and the parties. See, for example, Herman Bakvis, ed., Representation, Integration and Political Parties in Canada, Research Study for the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing (Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada, 1991); Herman Bakvis, Regional Ministers: Power and Influence in the Canadian Cabinet (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1991); and William A. Matheson, The Prime Minister and Cabinet (Toronto: Methuen, 1976).
5. Alan Cairns, "The Electoral System and the Party System in Canada, 1921-1965," this JOURNAL 1 (1968), 55-80.
6. F. A. Hermans, Democracy or Anarchy? (South Bend: Notre Dame University Press, 1941).
7. Cairns, "The Electoral System," 56, 57, and Alan Cairns, "The Strong Case for Modest Electoral Reform in Canada," paper delivered to the Harvard University Seminar on Canadian-United States Relations, September 25, 1979, 8.
8. For a discussion of stable systems that use proportional representation and have coalition governments, see Arendt Lijphart, Democracies (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984), 157; for a discussion of different ways of measuring cabinet durability, see Ian Budge and Hans Keman, Parties and Democracy: Coalition Formation and Government Functioning in Twenty States (Oxford: Oxford University Press), 1990.
9. For a discussion of stable systems that use proportional representation and have coalition governments, see Arendt Lijphart, Democracies (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984), 157; for a discussion of different ways of measuring cabinet durability, see Ian Budge and Hans Keman, Parties and Democracy: Coalition Formation and Government Functioning in Twenty States (Oxford: Oxford University Press), 1990.
10. A fairly direct comparison between the effects of district magnitude and geographical distribution of partisan support on electoral outcomes in Canada is possible using the Rae-Taylor fractionalization index, the Herfindahl-Hirschman concentration index, Laasko and Taagepera's definition of the "effective" number of parties and Rein Taagepera's formula for the relationship between district magnitude and number of effective parties (see Douglas Rae, The Political Consequences of Electoral Laws [New Haven: Yale University Press, 1971], 139, 117-18). Rae defines "fractionalization" in "A Note on the Fractionalization of Some European Party Systems," Comparative Political Studies 1 (1968), 414. Markku Laasko and Rein Taagepera. "Effective Number of Parties: A Measure with Application to Western Europe," Comparative Political Studies 12 (1979), 3-27, and Rein Taagepera, "The Effect of District Magnitude and Properties of Two-Seat Districts," in Arendt Lijphart and Bernard Grofman, eds., Choosing an Electoral Systems: Issues and Alternatives (New York: Praeger, 1984), 97.
11. A fairly direct comparison between the effects of district magnitude and geographical distribution of partisan support on electoral outcomes in Canada is possible using the Rae-Taylor fractionalization index, the Herfindahl-Hirschman concentration index, Laasko and Taagepera's definition of the "effective" number of parties and Rein Taagepera's formula for the relationship between district magnitude and number of effective parties (see Douglas Rae, The Political Consequences of Electoral Laws [New Haven: Yale University Press, 1971], 139, 117-18). Rae defines "fractionalization" in "A Note on the Fractionalization of Some European Party Systems," Comparative Political Studies 1 (1968), 414. Markku Laasko and Rein Taagepera. "Effective Number of Parties: A Measure with Application to Western Europe," Comparative Political Studies 12 (1979), 3-27, and Rein Taagepera, "The Effect of District Magnitude and Properties of Two-Seat Districts," in Arendt Lijphart and Bernard Grofman, eds., Choosing an Electoral Systems: Issues and Alternatives (New York: Praeger, 1984), 97.
12. A fairly direct comparison between the effects of district magnitude and geographical distribution of partisan support on electoral outcomes in Canada is possible using the Rae-Taylor fractionalization index, the Herfindahl-Hirschman concentration index, Laasko and Taagepera's definition of the "effective" number of parties and Rein Taagepera's formula for the relationship between district magnitude and number of effective parties (see Douglas Rae, The Political Consequences of Electoral Laws [New Haven: Yale University Press, 1971], 139, 117-18). Rae defines "fractionalization" in "A Note on the Fractionalization of Some European Party Systems," Comparative Political Studies 1 (1968), 414. Markku Laasko and Rein Taagepera. "Effective Number of Parties: A Measure with Application to Western Europe," Comparative Political Studies 12 (1979), 3-27, and Rein Taagepera, "The Effect of District Magnitude and Properties of Two-Seat Districts," in Arendt Lijphart and Bernard Grofman, eds., Choosing an Electoral Systems: Issues and Alternatives (New York: Praeger, 1984), 97.
13. A fairly direct comparison between the effects of district magnitude and geographical distribution of partisan support on electoral outcomes in Canada is possible using the Rae-Taylor fractionalization index, the Herfindahl-Hirschman concentration index, Laasko and Taagepera's definition of the "effective" number of parties and Rein Taagepera's formula for the relationship between district magnitude and number of effective parties (see Douglas Rae, The Political Consequences of Electoral Laws [New Haven: Yale University Press, 1971], 139, 117-18). Rae defines "fractionalization" in "A Note on the Fractionalization of Some European Party Systems," Comparative Political Studies 1 (1968), 414. Markku Laasko and Rein Taagepera. "Effective Number of Parties: A Measure with Application to Western Europe," Comparative Political Studies 12 (1979), 3-27, and Rein Taagepera, "The Effect of District Magnitude and Properties of Two-Seat Districts," in Arendt Lijphart and Bernard Grofman, eds., Choosing an Electoral Systems: Issues and Alternatives (New York: Praeger, 1984), 97.
14. Cairns, "The Electoral System," 55.
15. Richard Johnston and Janet Ballantyne, "Geography and the Electoral System," this JOURNAL 10 (1977), 861. Edward Tufte states the same thing in more general terms when he argues that the more diffuse support is for a large party, the larger the swing ratio (swing ratio refers to the rate of translation of votes into seats) in "The Relation between Seats and Votes in Two-Party Systems," American Political Science Review 67 (1973), 547.
16. Richard Johnston and Janet Ballantyne, "Geography and the Electoral System," this JOURNAL 10 (1977), 861. Edward Tufte states the same thing in more general terms when he argues that the more diffuse support is for a large party, the larger the swing ratio (swing ratio refers to the rate of translation of votes into seats) in "The Relation between Seats and Votes in Two-Party Systems," American Political Science Review 67 (1973), 547.
17. Sources of data: Donald Blake, "Canadian Census and Federal Election Data, 1908-1968," University of British Columbia data library; Howard Scarrow, Canada Votes (New Orleans: Hanser Press, 1963); Canada, Chief Electoral Officer, Report of the 1963 Election and Report of the 1965 Election; and Canada, Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, Surveys and Mapping Branch, Electoral District Maps (Ottawa, 1953).
18. Sources of data: Donald Blake, "Canadian Census and Federal Election Data, 1908-1968," University of British Columbia data library; Howard Scarrow, Canada Votes (New Orleans: Hanser Press, 1963); Canada, Chief Electoral Officer, Report of the 1963 Election and Report of the 1965 Election; and Canada, Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, Surveys and Mapping Branch, Electoral District Maps (Ottawa, 1953).
19. Sources of data: Donald Blake, "Canadian Census and Federal Election Data, 1908-1968," University of British Columbia data library; Howard Scarrow, Canada Votes (New Orleans: Hanser Press, 1963); Canada, Chief Electoral Officer, Report of the 1963 Election and Report of the 1965 Election; and Canada, Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, Surveys and Mapping Branch, Electoral District Maps (Ottawa, 1953).
20. Sources of data: Donald Blake, "Canadian Census and Federal Election Data, 1908-1968," University of British Columbia data library; Howard Scarrow, Canada Votes (New Orleans: Hanser Press, 1963); Canada, Chief Electoral Officer, Report of the 1963 Election and Report of the 1965 Election; and Canada, Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, Surveys and Mapping Branch, Electoral District Maps (Ottawa, 1953).
21. Cairns, "The Electoral System," 57.
22. Rein Taagepera has studied hypothetical results of British elections using different district magnitudes and electoral formulae (see Rein Taagepera and Matthew Shugart, Seats and Votes [New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989]).
23. Rein Taagepera and Bernard Grofman, "Rethinking Duverger's Law: Predicting the Effective Number of Parties in Plurality and P. R. Systems," European Journal of Political Research 13 (1985), 331-52.
24. Willian Irvine, Does Canada Need a New Electoral System (Kingston: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, 1979), and Task Force on Canadian Unity, A Future Together (Ottawa: Ministry of Supply and Services, 1979), 1046-1106.
25. Willian Irvine, Does Canada Need a New Electoral System (Kingston: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, 1979), and Task Force on Canadian Unity, A Future Together (Ottawa: Ministry of Supply and Services, 1979), 1046-1106.