Suchergebnisse

This paper doesn't even consider whether Canada needs electoral reform but focuses instead on whether reform is even possible. The governing party, which became the governing party with only 40% of the popular vote because of the present system, is hardly likely to initiate a reform that could put it out of business. Following a review of electoral system changes in other countries -- including why they occurred & what their outcomes have been -- a process for reform is proposed that would ratify change through a referendum that is embedded in a larger mechanism of citizen participation. The process should begin by forming a commission of inquiry to examine the various options for reform & their likely effects in Canada. This commission, however, would be embedded in a citizens' forum charged with debating the commission's findings & recommendations & approving which option(s) would be voted on in the referendum. It is emphasized that meaningful citizen participation in the making of key political decisions is not only a public priority but an important feature of a maturing democracy. J. Stanton

Seeking to demonstrate the varying impacts of different electoral systems, a look is taken at New Zealand's change to a mixed-member proportional (MMP) system of electoral representation. Ultimately the politicians discovered that they had unleashed forces over which they had no control. They were unable to adapt to the new rules of the political game they had instituted. To demonstrate why the country changed from the first-past-the-post system, in use since 1913, to the MMP, three sets of factors are discussed as the most important: election outcomes that were not in accord with the public vote, the recommendations made by the Royal Commission on the Electoral System, & the negative changes in public attitudes toward politics & politicians. The outcomes of the three elections held since implementation of the MMP system are described, & the outlook for MMP is discussed. J. Stanton

The author considers the desirability & possibility of reducing the dominance of self-interested political actors in the redistricting process to argue that there are actually many factors that contribute to the ills of congressional elections. Analysis of redistricting in electoral districts distinguishes between the problems faced by single-member districts versus multiple-member districts. Historical congressional standards for equal population, protection of the will of the majority, contiguity & compactness are reviewed & placed in the context of redistricting procedures in the cases of Iowa, Washington, New Jersey, & Arizona. Lessons learned from commissions are delineated, & support the conclusion that the decline of competitive seats & the ideological polarization of parties indicate links among competition, partisanship, & redistricting. J. Harwell

An examination of the political roles played by African American clergy since emancipation emphasizes the importance of historical context & specific social circumstances. Political choices made by African American clergy have varied according to immediate need & the national mood, & have evolved through theocratic, prophetic, electoral, & ecumenical stages. Sanctuary & survival were black clergy's main tasks during the decades of Jim Crow segregation but they later assumed a prophetic posture by pursuing justice through the transformation of a nation. African American clergy became increasingly involved in electoral politics after the civil rights movement of the 1950s-1960s, as evidenced by the key role of churches in Rev. Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign. A primary task of the Theological Commission of the National Conference of Black Churchmen was to formulate a black liberation theology that would unite the entire black nation. Although it fell short of its ecumenical goal, it inspired cooperative, interdenominational activism in many communities. Future prospects for the political activism of African American clergy are discussed. J. Lindroth

An examination of the political roles played by African American clergy since emancipation emphasizes the importance of historical context & specific social circumstances. Political choices made by African American clergy have varied according to immediate need & the national mood, & have evolved through theocratic, prophetic, electoral, & ecumenical stages. Sanctuary & survival were black clergy's main tasks during the decades of Jim Crow segregation but they later assumed a prophetic posture by pursuing justice through the transformation of a nation. African American clergy became increasingly involved in electoral politics after the civil rights movement of the 1950s-1960s, as evidenced by the key role of churches in Rev. Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign. A primary task of the Theological Commission of the National Conference of Black Churchmen was to formulate a black liberation theology that would unite the entire black nation. Although it fell short of its ecumenical goal, it inspired cooperative, interdenominational activism in many communities. Future prospects for the political activism of African American clergy are discussed. J. Lindroth