The Evolution of New Party Systems: Voter Learning and Electoral Systems
| Autor: | Roussias, A. |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
021110 strategic
defence & security studies Sociology and Political Science Political science Political economy 05 social sciences Political Science and International Relations 050602 political science & public administration 0211 other engineering and technologies Face (sociological concept) 02 engineering and technology 0506 political science |
| Zdroj: | Political Studies Review. 20:410-432 |
| ISSN: | 1478-9302 1478-9299 |
| Popis: | How do new party systems evolve over time? This article argues that party system evolution requires the solution of coordination problems that voters face in early elections; this happens through a learning mechanism. Elections reveal information to voters, who update their beliefs about party viability and the distribution of voters’ preferences and adjust their behaviour. The institutional setting, however, strongly conditions the pace of learning. Restrictive electoral systems (single-member district) accelerate learning through the harsh penalties they impose on miscoordination, while permissive ones (proportional representation) prolong it. Testing the argument on a district-level dataset in new democracies provides ample support; voters learn to cast fewer wasted votes over time and this happens faster in single-member district systems. The findings point to a trade-off between consolidation and representation; while party system evolution is facilitated by restrictive electoral systems, the presence of distinct social groups in the political arena is better served by permissive ones. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
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