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A new technique for gauging PO, designed to complement regular PO surveys, is discussed. The method is based on a refinement of the 'abrometer' areas or 'referendum' approach. 4 countries were selected, each with a record of accurately reflecting the sentiment of its area in the last 4 presidential elections. Election data for each county were carefully analyzed, & this information was then used to select 3 or more small units which, taken together, provided an accurate reflection of the whole county. In this way a referendum becomes manageable & yet produces enough ballots to provide a reliable result for the county. Voters were asked to check questions pro & con certain public issues. The results obtained passed certain tests for present-day representativeness. Both nat'l & regional results of a subsequent survey matched those obtained with the referendum method. It is felt that this technique requires less expertise & is less costly than a regular survey. It can be widely employed to shed light on the public's views on local issues & to illuminate, for the benefit of the representatives of the people, the state of PO on major issues confronting the nation. 2 Tables. Modified HA.

Bestandsaufnahme der politischen und militärischen Situation sowie Analyse der Interessenlage der am Konflikt beteiligten Länder, der UNO und der OAU. Abdruck der Westsahara-Resolution der 38. UN-Vollversammlung (S. 22). 1983, mit Rückblick. (DÜI-Jns)

SINCE THE EARLY 1960S MANY THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN ATTRACTED TO REFERENDUMS, WITH THE EARLIEST BEING HELD IN URUGUAY IN 1917, IRAQ IN 1921 AND CHILE IN 1925. BUTLER AND RANNEY (1978) IDENTIFIED REFERENDUMS IN THIRD WORLD NATIONS UP TO 1978, YET ANALYSIS OF THE POLITICAL PROCESS AND PATTERNS OF THESE REFERENDUMS IS LACKING IN THE POLITICAL SCIENCE LITERATURE. IT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THE PATTERNS AND PROCESSES COMMON TO AFRICAN, ASIAN, LATIN AMERICAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN REFERENDUMS. THE PAPER WILL EXAMINE BRIEFLY THE WESTERN DEMOCRATIC REFERENDUMS, EXCLUDING THE EXPERIENCE OF SWITZERLAND AND AUSTRALIA WHERE REFERENDUMS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL PROCESS. SECONDLY, THE GENERAL AND REGIONAL THIRD WORLD PATTERNS WILL BE EXAMINED. THIRDLY, REFERENDUMS IN NINE COUNTRIES WILL BE DESCRIBED; LASTLY, THE PAPER WILL CONCLUDE WITH THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE COMMON PATTERNS AND PROCESSES OF THIRD WORLD REFERENDUMS. IN THIS PART THE AUTHORS ARE CONCERNED WITH POSTINDEPENDENCE NATIONAL LEVEL REFERENDUMS; ALTHOUGH, MANY REFERENDUMS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED ON A SUBNATIONAL LEVEL AND PRIOR TO INDEPENDENCE.

Gegenstand des Beitrags ist die politische Entwicklung in Schottland seit dem Referendum vom 1. März 1979. Zunächst werden das gescheiterte Referendum, in dem es um eine Teilautonomie Schottlands ging, und seine Auswirkungen beschrieben. Im Anschluß wird die Rolle der Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) in der Zeit von 1974 bis 1979 untersucht. Unter der Frage, ob in der SNP ein Wandel stattfindet, ist im weiteren die Entwicklung nach 1979 Gegenstand der Analyse. Abschließend erfolgt eine knappe Einschätzung der Chancen für die Zukunft. Die Überlegungen kommen zu dem Schluß: Der Weg scheint offen für die SNP, wieder den Rythmus der schottischen Politik zu bestimmen; es wird jedoch solange nichts geschehen, wie die Partei nicht der Zerstrittenheit in ihren eigenen Reihen Herr wird. (RW)