Understanding the Dynamics of Electoral Reform

Abstract

After a long period of stasis 1993 marked a burst of change in liberal democracies' electoral arrangements. There were major shifts in three established democratic countries (Italy, Japan, and New Zealand), and a new system in Russia. All four changes show some parallels as well as some distinct features, especially in adopting "mixed" electoral systems. The roots of this pattern lie deep in the multiple criteria involved in debates about voting systems. Multi-dimensionality also explains some of the inherent difficulties of implementing reform, which we consider in the context of the revived electoral reform debate in the UK. Lastly, we examine the pressures for "convergence" in electoral systems at work in plurality rule countries, where party systems show tendencies to fragment; and in proportional representation systems, where public demands for greater accountability have emerged.