Evaluate the relative merits of the different electoral systems that operate in Britain, the North of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

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Evaluate the relative merits of the different electoral systems that operate in Britain, the North of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland!

The choice of electoral systems is one of the most important institutional decisions for any democracy, however an electoral system is rarely consciously and deliberately selected. Often the choice is accidental, the result of an unusual combination of circumstances, of a passing trend, or of a quirk of history. The impact of colonialism and the effects of influential neighbours are often persuasive in the choice of electoral systems. In almost all cases the choice of a particular electoral system has a profound effect on the future political life of the country concerned. In most cases, electoral systems, once chosen, remain fairly constant as political interests congeal around and respond to the incentives presented by them. In the main body of this essay I will look in depth and evaluate the different electoral systems that have and are currently operating in Britain, the North of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The electoral system that operates in Britain today is First Past the Post (FPTP). This current system is used for electing MP's to the House of Commons. "There are 659 separate constituencies across the UK each electing one single Member of Parliament". (www.electoral-reform.org.uk) This form of voting is usually very simple as each voter only has to place one cross on the ballot paper. First Past the Post is also very cheap and efficient. The task of counting votes is very quick allowing the new elected government to take over power almost immediately. This also allows for the disruption to political life of the nation to be short. First Past the Post has created a stable political system within Britain as only two parties dominate. Labour and Tory. It has also allowed for minority governments but the lifespan of those governments was limited. In more recent times the governments have tended to be strong as a result of the clear mandate given to it using the First Past the Post system. These strong governments can then create legislation and tackle the countries problems without relying on the help of other parties. The system also creates a close link between MP's and their constituency. This allows voters to form a close personal bond with the person they have given their vote to. Therefore the system represents the views of the people, as the candidate with the greatest support wins through a fair process. It has been said that the UK's democracy is one of the strongest in the world however there are also many weaknesses of the system. One major problem is that the seats given doesn't always represent the number of votes received by a party. For example in 1997, Labour won 43.3% of the total vote, but got 65.2% of the seats in parliament, giving them the power to form a government. Although 11 out of 20 British electors voted against the Government, it has complete power. "Until recently the British public and much of the elite assumed that the electoral system was satisfactory". (Jones et al, 2004) Changes to the UK system have been proposed, and alternatives were examined by the Jenkins Committee in the late 1990's but no major changes have been implemented. (www.anserws.com)
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The Single Transferable Vote (STV) system is currently used in the Republic of Ireland. This system has been in place since independence in 1922. The STV system was specified in the 1937 constitution and therefore cannot be amended without a referendum. In this system voters can have as many votes as there are candidates and they place their votes in order of preference. Seats in a constituency are awarded in proportion to votes received, with second and third and other preferences taken into account. Many people find this system complicated. This system has delivered a high degree of ...

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