A short history of electoral systems in Western Europe

Description

(...) In Western Europe systems of proportional representation were introduced for parliamentary elections between 1899 and 1920, and these have continued, with some modifications and interruptions, until the present day. Before the establishment of proportional representation, there was a considerable variety of electoral systems in the different countries(p.9). (...) Contents......Page 3 Acknowledgements......Page 4 Introduction......Page 5 1. Electroral Systems......Page 8 i. The Earlier Electoral Systems......Page 9 ii. Party-List Systems of Proportional Representation......Page 12 iii. Proportionality......Page 17 Appendix A: Divisor Systems......Page 19 Appendix B: Proportional Representation......Page 20 iv. Voting for Individuals......Page 21 v. The Single Transferable Vote......Page 23 2. Belgium and the Netherlands......Page 28 vi. Belgium......Page 29 vii. The Netherlands......Page 35 viii. Denmark......Page 41 ix. Norway......Page 47 x. Sweden......Page 53 xi. Finland......Page 59 4. Austria and Switzerland......Page 64 xii. Austria......Page 65 xiii. Switzerland......Page 71 5. The Great Powers on the Continent......Page 77 xiv. Italy......Page 78 xv. The Federal German Republic......Page 85 xvi. France......Page 91 6. The United Kingdom and Ireland......Page 97 xvii. The United Kingdom......Page 98 xviii. The Republic of Ireland......Page 104 Conclusions......Page 110 Selected Bibliography......Page 116 Index......Page 120