Assimilation, contrast and voter projections of parties in left-right space

2010 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 711-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Drummond
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Design ◽  
Electoral System ◽  
Institutional Setting ◽  
Contrast Effects ◽  
Hierarchical Modelling ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Simple Question ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Number Of Parties ◽  
The Comparative Study

When voters place parties in their system along the left-right dimension, they often pull their preferred party closer towards them (assimilation) and push the opposition further away (contrast). This article asks a simple question: are such assimilation and contrast effects similarly powerful across different types of electoral system? I hypothesize that systems employing single-member districts will tend to strengthen assimilation and contrast because they mechanically reduce the number of parties, while shifting the focus of electoral competition away from the party and towards the candidate. Using data from 18 advanced democracies compiled by the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems and hierarchical modelling I find that contrast effects are indeed stronger in majoritarian systems, while assimilation effects appear similarly strong regardless of the institutional setting. These findings suggest that institutional design holds lasting consequences for how we perceive politics and, perhaps also, for our ability to effectuate democracy.

Presidentialism and legislative fragmentation: Beyond coattail effects

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grigorii V Golosov ◽  
Kirill Kalinin
Keyword(s):  
Presidential Elections ◽  
Party System ◽  
Electoral System ◽  
Crucial Importance ◽  
Short Term ◽  
System Properties ◽  
Presidential Regimes ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Number Of Parties ◽  
The Impact

Using data from a nearly comprehensive set of the world’s electoral democracies, 1992–2014, this article empirically evaluates the impact of presidentialism upon legislative fragmentation. The analysis demonstrates that the impact is strong, consistent across a wide variety of political contexts, and conditioned by the type of presidential regime, the scope of presidential powers, electoral system effects, and essential party system properties. While much of the reasoning regarding the interplay between presidentialism and legislative fragmentation has been traditionally focused on short-term coattail effects of presidential elections, this study shows that these effects are real, but they are insufficient to make a significant impact upon the parameter of crucial importance for the functioning of presidential regimes: the number of parties in the legislature. The main impact of presidentialism is systemic, stemming from its tendency to restrict the number of parties to a limited set of viable competitors for the presidential prize.

scholarly journals Proportional Electoral Systems and Number of Parties in Parliament Evidence from Macedonia

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-478
Author(s):  
Zhidas Daskalovski
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Electoral Systems ◽  
Electoral System ◽  
Electoral District ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Number Of Parties

AbstractWhat is the best electoral system to increase the number of political parties represented in Parliament? This article answers the question using data from all the elections in Macedonia since 2002, and by making simulations of the results according to different electoral systems. In principle, we found that the electoral model that would bring most parties to the Macedonian Parliament is the Droop and Hare used in one electoral district. Moreover, the article answers the question how favourable different electoral systems are to larger/smaller parties. We find that the following is the order of electoral systems from most to least favourable for larger parties: Imperiali highest averages, D’Hondt, Sainte-Laguë, Largest remainders – Imperiali, Danish, Largest remainders – Droop, Largest remainders – Hare.

Proportional Representation and its Impacts on Multi Ethnic Society of Sri Lanka

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seeni Mohamed Aliff
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Institutional Design ◽  
Qualitative Case Study ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Electoral System ◽  
Ethnic Violence ◽  
Institutional Affiliation ◽  
Secondary Data Sources ◽  
The Impact

This paper will examine the impact of PR electoral systems in a divided society. This research will explore the strength and weakness of the current electoral system and institutional design of Sri Lanka and will recommend changes to decrease the risk of minority exclusion in decision making and ethnic violence. The objectives of this research are to examine the character of the merits and demerits of the PR, and to investigate and assess the impacts of the PR in the multi ethnic societies of Sri Lanka. The study is a qualitative case study, and primary and secondary data sources have been employed to gather relevant data. The My Fieldwork was conducted in Sri Lanka, with the intention of gaining a better and more thorough understanding of the current situation. The interviews conducted were as such not structured or semi-structured, due to the interviewees’ varying professional background and institutional affiliation. Accordingly, unstructured interviews, as well as informal conversations and meetings, were conducted throughout Sri Lanka.

The Small State Challenge

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Corbett ◽  
Wouter Veenendaal
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Politics ◽  
Institutional Design ◽  
Small States ◽  
Small State ◽  
Informal Politics ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Approach Method ◽  
Key Terms ◽  
First Time

Chapter 1 introduces the main arguments of the book; outlines the approach, method, and data; defines key terms; and provides a chapter outline. Global theories of democratization have systematically excluded small states, which make up roughly 20 per cent of countries. These cases debunk mainstream theories of why democratization succeeds or fails. This book brings small states into the comparative politics fold for the first time. It is organized thematically, with each chapter tackling one of the main theories from the democratization literature. Different types of data are examined—case studies and other documentary evidence, interviews and observation. Following an abductive approach, in addition to examining the veracity of existing theory, each chapter is also used to build an explanation of how democracy is practiced in small states. Specifically, we highlight how small state politics is shaped by personalization and informal politics, rather than formal institutional design.

scholarly journals Electoral Incentives and the Allocation of Public Funds

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederico Finan ◽  
Maurizio Mazzocco
Keyword(s):  
Electoral System ◽  
Policy Reforms ◽  
Public Funds ◽  
Term Limit ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Projects ◽  
Electoral Incentives ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The One ◽  
The Cost

Abstract Politicians allocate public resources in ways that maximize political gains, and potentially at the cost of lower welfare. In this paper, we quantify these welfare costs in the context of Brazil’s federal legislature, which grants its members a budget to fund public projects within their states. Using data from the state of Roraima, we estimate a model of politicians’ allocation decisions and find that 26.8% of the public funds allocated by legislators are distorted relative to a social planner’s allocation. We then use the model to simulate three potential policy reforms to the electoral system: the adoption of approval voting, imposing a one-term limit, and redistricting. We find that a one-term limit and redistricting are both effective at reducing distortions. The one-term limit policy, however, increases corruption, which makes it a welfare-reducing policy.

Explaining Political Knowledge: The Role of Procedural Quality in an Informed Citizenry

2016 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Clark
Keyword(s):  
Political Process ◽  
Political Knowledge ◽  
The Political ◽  
Factual Knowledge ◽  
Governance Indicators ◽  
Informed Citizenry ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Comparative Study ◽  
Knowledge Seeking

While much is known about the micro-level predictors of political knowledge, there have been relatively few efforts to study the potential macro-level causes of knowledge. Seeking to improve our understanding of country-based variation in knowledge, this article demonstrates that individuals have an easier time finding and interpreting information in political environments that provide the public with greater opportunities to engage, observe, and learn about the political process. To investigate that possibility, the article analyzes how the procedural quality of the political process affects political knowledge. Using data from the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems and the Worldwide Governance Indicators Project, survey analyses show that the transparency and responsiveness of a political system indeed influence the public’s information about political parties and, to a lesser extent, the amount of factual knowledge retained by survey respondents. In other words, the quality of democratic governance affects how much individuals know about the political process.

Association between different types of plant-based diet and dyslipidemia in Korean adults

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Nara Shin ◽  
Jihye Kim
Keyword(s):  
Low Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Lipoprotein Cholesterol ◽  
Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Nutrition Survey ◽  
Korean Adults ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Low Hdl ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Using Data

Abstract This study investigated the association between the different types of plant-based diets and dyslipidemia in Korean adults using data from the nationally representative sample. Using the 2012-2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey data, a total of 14,167 adults (≥19 years old) participated in this study. Dietary intake was assessed by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Three different plant-based diet indices (overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI)), were calculated. Dyslipidemia and its components (hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), use of anti-hyperlipidemia agent) were measured. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between plant-based diet and dyslipidemia and individual lipid disorders. Totally, 47% of overall population had dyslipidemia. Individual in the highest quintile of uPDI had 22% greater odds of dyslipidemia (95% CI: 1·05, 1·41) and 48 % higher odds of hypertriglyceridemia (95% CI: 1·21, 1·81) and 16% higher odds of low HDL-C (OR: 1·16, 95% CI: 1·00, 1·35) than those in the lowest quintile of uPDI. PDI was associated with 16 % higher odds of low HDL-C and hPDI were associated with 25% lower odds of high LDL-C. However, Neither PDI nor hPDI was significantly associated with the prevalence of dyslipidemia. Greater adherence to unhealthful plant-based diets was associated with greater odds of the dyslipidemia and its components suggesting the importance of the quality of plant-based diet in South Korean adults for dyslipidemia prevention.

Programming in Restrictive Housing: Considerations for Improving Outcome Evaluations

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 1174-1191 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Daniel Butler ◽  
Starr Solomon ◽  
Ryan Spohn
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Effect ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Inmate Misconduct ◽  
The Past ◽  
What Works ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Time Served ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Outcome Evaluations ◽  
Behavioral Programming

A number of studies have identified “what works” in regard to the successful implementation of correctional programming over the past several decades. Few studies, however, have examined the complexities associated with programming in restrictive housing. Using data from a Midwestern department of corrections, we examined whether the provision of programming in restrictive housing achieved desired outcomes (e.g., reductions in inmate misconduct). The findings revealed the amount of time served in restrictive housing and confinement in different types of restrictive housing may influence estimations of a treatment effect. As a growing number of states seek to reform the use of restrictive housing, the proper implementation of cognitive-behavioral programming may increase institutional security and safety.

The use of performance information in local government mergers

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 451-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karina Kenk ◽  
Toomas Haldma
Keyword(s):  
Attribution Theory ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Eastern European Country ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Performance Information ◽  
Case Study Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Using Data

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study more deeply the use of performance information (PI) in the context of the administrative-territorial reform, e.g. amalgamation in the local governments (LG) with an example of Estonian LGs. Design/methodology/approach The case study method is adopted, using data from publicly available documents and interviews with the politicians and officials at the five merger cases of Estonian LG units. The data are interpreted and analysed using attribution theory. Findings The results show that amalgamation patterns do have an influence on PI use – in particular, the authors see that PI is reported to be used more frequently in cases of voluntary mergers, which may be related to the different motivations to make attributions in cases of voluntary and compulsory mergers. Originality/value The study contributes to the debate on the importance and usefulness of different types of PI, as financial as well as non-financial information and for different information users in the light of LG reform in Estonia as being a Central and Eastern European country.

scholarly journals The Career Length and Service of Female Policymakers in the US House of Representatives

2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 437-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Praino ◽  
Daniel Stockemer
Keyword(s):  
Gender Gap ◽  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Electoral System ◽  
The Political ◽  
Political Careers ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Representation Of Women ◽  
Career Length ◽  
The Us ◽  
Using Data

Various studies have outlined the institutional (e.g. the existence of quota laws and the electoral system type of a country) and non-institutional factors (e.g. the political culture of a country) that account for variation in women’s representation, in general, and, in more detail, the low representation of women in the US Congress. However, no study has, so far, compared the Congressional career paths of men and women in order to understand whether this gender gap in representation stems from a difference in terms of the duration and importance of the careers of male and female policymakers. Using data on all US House elections between 1972 and 2012, we provide such an analysis, evaluating whether or not the political careers of women in the US House of Representatives are different from the political careers of their male counterparts. Our findings indicate that the congressional careers of men and women are alike and, if anything, women may even have a small edge over their male colleagues.

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