In Situ and Laboratory Experiments on Electoral Law Reform

In Situ and Laboratory Experiments on Electoral Law Reform

Author: Bernard Dolez

Publisher:

Published: 2011-03-30

Total Pages: 184

ISBN-13: 9781441975409

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Book Synopsis In Situ and Laboratory Experiments on Electoral Law Reform by : Bernard Dolez

Download or read book In Situ and Laboratory Experiments on Electoral Law Reform written by Bernard Dolez and published by . This book was released on 2011-03-30 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


In Situ and Laboratory Experiments on Electoral Law Reform

In Situ and Laboratory Experiments on Electoral Law Reform

Author: Bernard Dolez

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2010-12-01

Total Pages: 176

ISBN-13: 144197539X

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In the modern era, representation is the hallmark of democracy, and electoral rules structure how representation works and how effectively governments perform. Moreover, of the key structural variables in constitutional design, it is the choice of electoral system that is usually the most open to change. There are three distinctive approaches to electoral system research. One, associated largely with economics, involves the study of electoral system effects through the deductive method, using mathematical tools to derive theorems about the properties of voting methods and behaviors. A second, associated largely with political science, has a primarily empirical focus, and looks in depth at how electoral rules impact on political outcomes, through large cross-sectional or case studies. A third, and more recent tradition, inspired largely by work in experimental economics, involves experimentation, either in the form of controlled laboratory experiments or in the form of in situ field studies. This volume employs the third approach to report on experiments that look at alternatives to the present two round (majority runoff) system used for the election of French presidents. This system is of considerable importance not just because of its use in France but also because of its wide adoption in presidential elections in new democracies, such as Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Russia and Ukraine. The editors have assembled the top experimental economists and political scientists specializing in French politics to provide in-depth analysis of the double ballot electoral system, and, more broadly, of the effect of electoral rules on the number of candidates, voter strategies, and ideological choice. Ultimately, the editors and contributors argue that experimental methods have great potential to inform our understanding of institutional mechanisms in the context of voting behavior.


Book Synopsis In Situ and Laboratory Experiments on Electoral Law Reform by : Bernard Dolez

Download or read book In Situ and Laboratory Experiments on Electoral Law Reform written by Bernard Dolez and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-12-01 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the modern era, representation is the hallmark of democracy, and electoral rules structure how representation works and how effectively governments perform. Moreover, of the key structural variables in constitutional design, it is the choice of electoral system that is usually the most open to change. There are three distinctive approaches to electoral system research. One, associated largely with economics, involves the study of electoral system effects through the deductive method, using mathematical tools to derive theorems about the properties of voting methods and behaviors. A second, associated largely with political science, has a primarily empirical focus, and looks in depth at how electoral rules impact on political outcomes, through large cross-sectional or case studies. A third, and more recent tradition, inspired largely by work in experimental economics, involves experimentation, either in the form of controlled laboratory experiments or in the form of in situ field studies. This volume employs the third approach to report on experiments that look at alternatives to the present two round (majority runoff) system used for the election of French presidents. This system is of considerable importance not just because of its use in France but also because of its wide adoption in presidential elections in new democracies, such as Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Russia and Ukraine. The editors have assembled the top experimental economists and political scientists specializing in French politics to provide in-depth analysis of the double ballot electoral system, and, more broadly, of the effect of electoral rules on the number of candidates, voter strategies, and ideological choice. Ultimately, the editors and contributors argue that experimental methods have great potential to inform our understanding of institutional mechanisms in the context of voting behavior.


Voting Experiments

Voting Experiments

Author: André Blais

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-10-03

Total Pages: 330

ISBN-13: 331940573X

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This book presents a collection of papers illustrating the variety of "experimental" methodologies used to study voting. Experimental methods include laboratory experiments in the tradition of political psychology, laboratory experiments with monetary incentives, in the economic tradition, survey experiments (varying survey, question wording, framing or content), as well as various kinds of field experimentation. Topics include the behavior of voters (in particular turnout, vote choice, and strategic voting), the behavior of parties and candidates, and the comparison of electoral rules.


Book Synopsis Voting Experiments by : André Blais

Download or read book Voting Experiments written by André Blais and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-10-03 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a collection of papers illustrating the variety of "experimental" methodologies used to study voting. Experimental methods include laboratory experiments in the tradition of political psychology, laboratory experiments with monetary incentives, in the economic tradition, survey experiments (varying survey, question wording, framing or content), as well as various kinds of field experimentation. Topics include the behavior of voters (in particular turnout, vote choice, and strategic voting), the behavior of parties and candidates, and the comparison of electoral rules.


A Natural Experiment on Electoral Law Reform

A Natural Experiment on Electoral Law Reform

Author: Daniela Giannetti

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2011-02-01

Total Pages: 164

ISBN-13: 1441972285

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In the early 1990s, major electoral reforms took place in both Italy and Japan; each replaced a form of “proportional representation” (in which voters cast a ballot for a party list) with a “mixed member” system (in which voters cast ballots for individual candidates and party lists). The reforms were enacted by political elites in the context of divisions within the dominant party, changing patterns of party support, and party splits, in efforts to retain power while responding to charges of corruption, clientelism, and lack of accountability. The experiences of both countries provide a laboratory in which to investigate the effects and implications of the reforms, and, more broadly to analyze voter behavior in the context of institutional change. The introduction provides an overview of post-WWII politics and electoral reform in Italy and Japan. In each of the next four chapters, specialists in Italian and Japanese electoral politics are teamed up to review data both before and after the reforms. Within this comparative framework, the authors explore such topics as changes in party competition, candidate selection mechanisms, and intra-party politics. The concluding chapter considers the longer-term consequences—both anticipated and unanticipated—of the reforms; despite superficially similar conditions, the effects in the two countries were dramatically different: in Japan, the new system has taken hold, with minor modifications, while in Italy, there was a reversion to a proportional representation system. As the essays in this volume demonstrate, to understand why similar reforms had such different effects in the two countries we must examine how electoral systems are embedded in broader institutional and social arrangements, and at the complex interplay of political geography, political history, and the rational calculations of political actors.


Book Synopsis A Natural Experiment on Electoral Law Reform by : Daniela Giannetti

Download or read book A Natural Experiment on Electoral Law Reform written by Daniela Giannetti and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2011-02-01 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the early 1990s, major electoral reforms took place in both Italy and Japan; each replaced a form of “proportional representation” (in which voters cast a ballot for a party list) with a “mixed member” system (in which voters cast ballots for individual candidates and party lists). The reforms were enacted by political elites in the context of divisions within the dominant party, changing patterns of party support, and party splits, in efforts to retain power while responding to charges of corruption, clientelism, and lack of accountability. The experiences of both countries provide a laboratory in which to investigate the effects and implications of the reforms, and, more broadly to analyze voter behavior in the context of institutional change. The introduction provides an overview of post-WWII politics and electoral reform in Italy and Japan. In each of the next four chapters, specialists in Italian and Japanese electoral politics are teamed up to review data both before and after the reforms. Within this comparative framework, the authors explore such topics as changes in party competition, candidate selection mechanisms, and intra-party politics. The concluding chapter considers the longer-term consequences—both anticipated and unanticipated—of the reforms; despite superficially similar conditions, the effects in the two countries were dramatically different: in Japan, the new system has taken hold, with minor modifications, while in Italy, there was a reversion to a proportional representation system. As the essays in this volume demonstrate, to understand why similar reforms had such different effects in the two countries we must examine how electoral systems are embedded in broader institutional and social arrangements, and at the complex interplay of political geography, political history, and the rational calculations of political actors.


Smarter Ballots

Smarter Ballots

Author: J.S. Maloy

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-06-08

Total Pages: 229

ISBN-13: 3030130312

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This book presents a new democratic theory of election reform, using the tradition of political realism to interrogate and synthesize findings from global elections research and voting theory. In a world of democratic deficits and uncivil societies, political researchers and reformers should prioritize creating smarter ballots before smarter voters. Many democracies’ electoral systems impose a dilemma of disempowerment which traps voters between the twin dangers of vote-splitting and “lesser evil” choices, restricting individual expression while degrading systemic accountability. The application of innovative conceptual tools to comparative empirical analysis and previous experimental results reveals that ballot structure is crucial, but often overlooked, in sustaining this dilemma. Multi-mark ballot structures can resolve the dilemma of disempowerment by allowing voters to rank or grade multiple parties or candidates per contest, thereby furnishing democratic citizens with a broader array of options, finer tools of expression, and stronger powers of accountability. Innovative proposals for ranking and grading ballots in both multi-winner and single-winner contests, including referendums, are offered to provoke further experimentation and reform—a process that may help the cause of democratic elections’ relevance and survival.


Book Synopsis Smarter Ballots by : J.S. Maloy

Download or read book Smarter Ballots written by J.S. Maloy and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-06-08 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a new democratic theory of election reform, using the tradition of political realism to interrogate and synthesize findings from global elections research and voting theory. In a world of democratic deficits and uncivil societies, political researchers and reformers should prioritize creating smarter ballots before smarter voters. Many democracies’ electoral systems impose a dilemma of disempowerment which traps voters between the twin dangers of vote-splitting and “lesser evil” choices, restricting individual expression while degrading systemic accountability. The application of innovative conceptual tools to comparative empirical analysis and previous experimental results reveals that ballot structure is crucial, but often overlooked, in sustaining this dilemma. Multi-mark ballot structures can resolve the dilemma of disempowerment by allowing voters to rank or grade multiple parties or candidates per contest, thereby furnishing democratic citizens with a broader array of options, finer tools of expression, and stronger powers of accountability. Innovative proposals for ranking and grading ballots in both multi-winner and single-winner contests, including referendums, are offered to provoke further experimentation and reform—a process that may help the cause of democratic elections’ relevance and survival.


Handbook on Approval Voting

Handbook on Approval Voting

Author: Jean-François Laslier

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2010-06-25

Total Pages: 482

ISBN-13: 364202839X

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With approval voting, voters can approve of as many candidates as they want, and the one approved by the most voters wins. This book surveys a wide variety of empirical and theoretical knowledge accumulated from years of studying this method of voting.


Book Synopsis Handbook on Approval Voting by : Jean-François Laslier

Download or read book Handbook on Approval Voting written by Jean-François Laslier and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-06-25 with total page 482 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With approval voting, voters can approve of as many candidates as they want, and the one approved by the most voters wins. This book surveys a wide variety of empirical and theoretical knowledge accumulated from years of studying this method of voting.


The Future of Digital Democracy

The Future of Digital Democracy

Author: Pierluigi Contucci

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2018-12-17

Total Pages: 101

ISBN-13: 3030053334

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Digital democracy is a hot topic nowadays, its relevance growing along with the impact of computational platforms on our(political) life. Communication is the basal fabric on which society is defined, and it appears obvious that the civic organisation and politics itself should take the opportunities the "digital revolution" offers. Institutional inertia, nevertheless, causes large delays in updating and adapting. Therefore, the balance between participation and delegated representation is now facing a crisis. A thorough understanding of the factors involved in participation is a first step towards providing solutions. Using the Internet to fill the gap and build a digital democracy provides an opportunity, along with several risks that need to be carefully analysed. It needs to be implemented using a fully inter- and trans-disciplinary perspective. The six contributions included in this State-of-the Art Survey present research in the field of social sciences as well as mathematics and computer science and aim at contributing to a better understanding of the potential and dangers of digital democracy, helping readers go beyond the misunderstandings, the misconceptions,and the conceptual and practical abuses that the very notion of democracy is undergoing during this age of technological revolution and social turmoils.


Book Synopsis The Future of Digital Democracy by : Pierluigi Contucci

Download or read book The Future of Digital Democracy written by Pierluigi Contucci and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-12-17 with total page 101 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Digital democracy is a hot topic nowadays, its relevance growing along with the impact of computational platforms on our(political) life. Communication is the basal fabric on which society is defined, and it appears obvious that the civic organisation and politics itself should take the opportunities the "digital revolution" offers. Institutional inertia, nevertheless, causes large delays in updating and adapting. Therefore, the balance between participation and delegated representation is now facing a crisis. A thorough understanding of the factors involved in participation is a first step towards providing solutions. Using the Internet to fill the gap and build a digital democracy provides an opportunity, along with several risks that need to be carefully analysed. It needs to be implemented using a fully inter- and trans-disciplinary perspective. The six contributions included in this State-of-the Art Survey present research in the field of social sciences as well as mathematics and computer science and aim at contributing to a better understanding of the potential and dangers of digital democracy, helping readers go beyond the misunderstandings, the misconceptions,and the conceptual and practical abuses that the very notion of democracy is undergoing during this age of technological revolution and social turmoils.


Freedom and Happiness in Economic Thought and Philosophy

Freedom and Happiness in Economic Thought and Philosophy

Author: Ragip Ege

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2012-04-27

Total Pages: 317

ISBN-13: 1136666826

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Starting from a distinction made by the American philosopher, John Rawls, in 2000 between two kinds of liberalism, "liberalism of freedom" and "liberalism of happiness", this book presents a range of articles by economists and philosophers debating the most fundamental aspects of the subject. These include the exact significance of Rawls’ distinction and how it can be related to European political philosophy on the one hand and to utilitarianism on the other hand; the various definitions of happiness and freedom and their implications and the informational basis of individual preferences. The objectives of the book are twofold: first, it is devoted to a thorough analysis of the founding texts of both liberalisms. It aims to determine the logic of selection of the concepts which these traditions consider as relevant. The Kantian pair "Reasonable"/"Rational" can be seen as the basis on which these concepts are defined, our final concern being to reveal the profound relations of complementarity between them: we call it reconciliation. Secondly, we consider a fundamental issue of welfare economics – how to appraise individual preferences – in light of the Rawlsian distinction. It is emphasized that neither a criterion based on liberalism of freedom by itself, nor an evaluation in terms of liberalism of happiness by itself exhausts the question of utility. One must combine both aspects in order to cope with that issue. To do so, it is claimed that one can resort to the concept of metaranking of preferences. All the contributions included in this book are the outcomes of a collective research project of three years. The contributors come from a variety of backgrounds and yet are unified in developing a specific position about freedom and happiness. This book should be of interest to those focusing on the history of economic thought as well as moral, political and economic philosophy.


Book Synopsis Freedom and Happiness in Economic Thought and Philosophy by : Ragip Ege

Download or read book Freedom and Happiness in Economic Thought and Philosophy written by Ragip Ege and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2012-04-27 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Starting from a distinction made by the American philosopher, John Rawls, in 2000 between two kinds of liberalism, "liberalism of freedom" and "liberalism of happiness", this book presents a range of articles by economists and philosophers debating the most fundamental aspects of the subject. These include the exact significance of Rawls’ distinction and how it can be related to European political philosophy on the one hand and to utilitarianism on the other hand; the various definitions of happiness and freedom and their implications and the informational basis of individual preferences. The objectives of the book are twofold: first, it is devoted to a thorough analysis of the founding texts of both liberalisms. It aims to determine the logic of selection of the concepts which these traditions consider as relevant. The Kantian pair "Reasonable"/"Rational" can be seen as the basis on which these concepts are defined, our final concern being to reveal the profound relations of complementarity between them: we call it reconciliation. Secondly, we consider a fundamental issue of welfare economics – how to appraise individual preferences – in light of the Rawlsian distinction. It is emphasized that neither a criterion based on liberalism of freedom by itself, nor an evaluation in terms of liberalism of happiness by itself exhausts the question of utility. One must combine both aspects in order to cope with that issue. To do so, it is claimed that one can resort to the concept of metaranking of preferences. All the contributions included in this book are the outcomes of a collective research project of three years. The contributors come from a variety of backgrounds and yet are unified in developing a specific position about freedom and happiness. This book should be of interest to those focusing on the history of economic thought as well as moral, political and economic philosophy.


Majority Decisions

Majority Decisions

Author: Stéphanie Novak

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2014-06-30

Total Pages: 271

ISBN-13: 1107054095

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This book presents the most complete set of analytical, normative, and historical discussions of majority decision making to date. One chapter critically addresses the social-choice approach to majority decisions, whereas another presents an alternative to that approach. Extensive case studies discuss majority voting in the choice of religion in early modern Switzerland, majority voting in nested assemblies such as the French Estates-General and the Federal Convention, majority voting in federally organized countries, qualified majority voting in the European Union Council of Ministers, and majority voting on juries. Other chapters address the relation between majority decisions and cognitive diversity, the causal origin of majority decisions, and the pathologies of majority decision making. Two chapters, finally, discuss the counter-majoritarian role of courts that exercise judicial review. The editorial Introduction surveys conceptual, causal, and normative issues that arise in the theory and practice of majority decisions.


Book Synopsis Majority Decisions by : Stéphanie Novak

Download or read book Majority Decisions written by Stéphanie Novak and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-06-30 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents the most complete set of analytical, normative, and historical discussions of majority decision making to date. One chapter critically addresses the social-choice approach to majority decisions, whereas another presents an alternative to that approach. Extensive case studies discuss majority voting in the choice of religion in early modern Switzerland, majority voting in nested assemblies such as the French Estates-General and the Federal Convention, majority voting in federally organized countries, qualified majority voting in the European Union Council of Ministers, and majority voting on juries. Other chapters address the relation between majority decisions and cognitive diversity, the causal origin of majority decisions, and the pathologies of majority decision making. Two chapters, finally, discuss the counter-majoritarian role of courts that exercise judicial review. The editorial Introduction surveys conceptual, causal, and normative issues that arise in the theory and practice of majority decisions.


Human-Centric Decision-Making Models for Social Sciences

Human-Centric Decision-Making Models for Social Sciences

Author: Peijun Guo

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2013-11-01

Total Pages: 418

ISBN-13: 3642393071

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The volume delivers a wealth of effective methods to deal with various types of uncertainty inherently existing in human-centric decision problems. It elaborates on comprehensive decision frameworks to handle different decision scenarios, which help use effectively the explicit and tacit knowledge and intuition, model perceptions and preferences in a more human-oriented style. The book presents original approaches and delivers new results on fundamentals and applications related to human-centered decision making approaches to business, economics and social systems. Individual chapters cover multi-criteria (multiattribute) decision making, decision making with prospect theory, decision making with incomplete probabilistic information, granular models of decision making and decision making realized with the use of non-additive measures. New emerging decision theories being presented as along with a wide spectrum of ongoing research make the book valuable to all interested in the field of advanced decision-making. The volume, self-contained in its nature, offers a systematic exposure to the concepts, design methodologies, and detailed algorithms. A prudent balance between the theoretical studies and applications makes the material suitable for researchers and graduate students in information, computer sciences, psychology, cognitive science, economics, system engineering, operation research and management science, risk management, public and social policy.


Book Synopsis Human-Centric Decision-Making Models for Social Sciences by : Peijun Guo

Download or read book Human-Centric Decision-Making Models for Social Sciences written by Peijun Guo and published by Springer. This book was released on 2013-11-01 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The volume delivers a wealth of effective methods to deal with various types of uncertainty inherently existing in human-centric decision problems. It elaborates on comprehensive decision frameworks to handle different decision scenarios, which help use effectively the explicit and tacit knowledge and intuition, model perceptions and preferences in a more human-oriented style. The book presents original approaches and delivers new results on fundamentals and applications related to human-centered decision making approaches to business, economics and social systems. Individual chapters cover multi-criteria (multiattribute) decision making, decision making with prospect theory, decision making with incomplete probabilistic information, granular models of decision making and decision making realized with the use of non-additive measures. New emerging decision theories being presented as along with a wide spectrum of ongoing research make the book valuable to all interested in the field of advanced decision-making. The volume, self-contained in its nature, offers a systematic exposure to the concepts, design methodologies, and detailed algorithms. A prudent balance between the theoretical studies and applications makes the material suitable for researchers and graduate students in information, computer sciences, psychology, cognitive science, economics, system engineering, operation research and management science, risk management, public and social policy.