The Victorious Incumbent: A Threat to Democracy?

Description

This work examines the extent to which the electoral success of incumbent legislators poses a threat to democratic government in nine countries: Canada; Denmark; France; Germany; Great Britain; Israel; Japan; New Zealand; and the United States. 1. Where We Came In ... / Albert Somit -- 2. ... And Where We Came Out / Albert Somit -- 3. The Problem of Incumbency in Democratic Systems / Bernhard Boll and Andrea Rommele -- 4. Incumbency in the United States / John S. Jackson -- 5. Incumbency in Israel's Knesset / Asher Arian -- 6. Parliament in the United Kingdom: The Incumbency Paradox / Philip Norton -- 7. Democracy and Incumbency: The Canadian Case / Jean A. Laponce -- 8. Parliamentary Incumbents in Germany: No Matter of Choice? / Bernhard Boll -- 9. Incumbency in France: Electoral Instability as a Way to Legislative Turnover / Colette Ysmal -- 10. Incumbency Success and Defeat in Times of Electoral Turbulences: Patterns of Legislative Recruitment in Denmark 1945-1990 / Mogens N. Pedersen -- 11. Stability and Renewal Incumbency and Parliamentary Composition / Keith Jackson -- 12. The Incumbency Advantage in Japan / Steven R. Reed.