POLITICIANS AND ELECTORAL LAWS: AN ANTHROPOLOGY OF PARTY COMPETITION IN IRELAND

In: Political studies, Band 28, Heft 4, S. 550-566

Abstract

THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THE PATTERNS OF ELECTORAL COMPETITION IN ONE CONSTITUENCY IN IRELAND OVER 3 DECADES AND ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN THE CONSERVATIVE CAST OF THE COUNTRY'S POLITICS AS A FUNCTION OF THIS COMPETITION. ON ANOTHER LEVEL, THE ANALYSIS HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM IN STRUCTURING THE BEHAVIORS OF POLITICIANS WHO MUST WORK WITHIN IT (PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION IN THIS CASE).