home
Home
navigate_next
Search results
Search results
Abstract
Cross-countries studies of the disproportionality of various elec-toral systems have become a popular topic in academic circles. How-ever, the definition, operationalization, and classification of electoral system variables have methodological flaws. This paper will examine the deficiencies of previous Cross-countries studies. Concepts concerning electoral districts, such as electoral formula, district magnitude, and legal thresholds are fairly clear. However, at the national level, the electoral system may include many electoral districts or dual electoral levels. Because of this, scholars have constructed 1) national electoral formula, 2) average or effective dis-trict magnitude, and 3)effective threshold. Still, the definition, operati-onalization, and classification of these concepts have all been criticized. In addition, when used in Cross-countries studies there have been glaring methodological errors. Furthermore, at the national level, electoral formula and district magnitude have only limited influence on disproportionality. In this light, existing Cross-countries studies of electoral disproportionality are flawed and must be improved. In this paper I propose that the best method for this lies primarily in the identification of possible influences on electoral disproportional-ity at the national level.
Abstract
The Japanese electoral system had adopted the single non-transferable vote (SNTV). Under SNTV, three to five members were elected from each constituency based on a plurality of votes. However, a series of corruption scandals since 1988 in Japan had damaged confidence in political system. As a result, Diet passed new measures transforming the middle-size district system into a mixed-member system in January 1994, combining single-member district & PR party lists. This article introduces the reform process and the new electoral system.It was the first time that Japanese House of Representatives adopted the single-member district & PR party lists parallel system on October 20, 1996. The article is intended to describe the electoral process and analyze its political consequences.The preliminary conclusions of the study are:(1) The new electoral system in Japan is of great advantage to LDP.(2) The new electoral system didn't correct the 'money politics' and transform the electoral competition from candidate-oriented to party and policy-oriented in Japan.
