Electoral Systems
This electoral system uses multimember districts and allocates seats in proportion to each party’s vote share.
Proportional representation
T/F: SMDP systems tend to increase the number of represented political parties
False
Define catch-all party
A political party with members covering a broad spectrum of beliefs
T/F: China's constitution says that citizens have the rights to freedom of speech, assembly, association, procession, and demonstration
True
Define interest group
A group explicitly organized to represent and advocate for a specific interest or policy issue
This system elects only one representative per district, and the candidate with the most votes wins, even without a majority.
SMDP / FPTP
Identify TWO countries that elect its executive by a clear majority
Iran; Russia
Identify five political parties in the UK
Conservative
Labour
Reform UK
Liberal Democrats
Scottish National Party
Sinn Fein
etc.
T/F: Political parties in the UK have to register with the Electoral Commission if they want their name and emblem on ballots
True
Define a grassroots social movement
Large group(s) of people pushing collectively for significant political or social change; exerts power up from the local level to the regional, national, or international level
Describe the UK's electoral system for the House of Commons
Uses SMDP/first-past-the-post rules and has traditionally been dominated by Conservative and Labour parties
What is the electoral regulatory organization in Mexico called?
National Electoral Institute (NIE)
Identify and DESCRIBE three political parties in Mexico
MORENA — left-wing populism, progressivism, and social democracy
National Action Party (PAN) — conservative, pro-market
Ecologist Green Party of Mexico (PVEM) — green
Labor Party (PT) — leftist, pro-labor
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) — centrist, pragmatic
Citizens’ Movement (MC) — progressive, anti-establishment
What are the 3 major factional groups in Iran's Majles?
Principlists, Reformists, Independents
Grassroots movements tend to be difficult for state-run military or law enforcement to suppress because they’re (3 reasons):
Run by ordinary people
Organizationally decentralized
Limited organizational hierarchies
Describe Mexico's electoral system for the Chamber of Deputies.
Combines 300 single-member district seats with 200 proportional-representation seats and uses gender quotas on party lists
In Iran, how is the Guardian Council chosen?
Half (6) are Islamic scholars appointed by Supreme Leader
Half (6) are legal scholars nominated by the head of the judiciary and approved by the Majles
Identify TWO ways in which Russia has reduced political competition
Allowing only legally registered parties to run for office
Increasing requirements to register new political parties (e.g., minimum member requirement; regional branches)
Using selective court decisions to disqualify candidates
Restricting political opposition from presenting viewpoints in the media
Temporarily eliminating gubernatorial elections (2004-2012)
What are the requirements to forming a new political party in Mexico?
Must hold 20 assemblies in 20 states OR 200 assemblies across all districts
At those assemblies, must sign up a minimum number of registered voters (~3,000/state or 300/district)
Describe TWO social movements from two different course countries.
Answers will vary
Describe Russia's electoral system for both chambers of its legislature.
State Duma
½ are directly elected from single-member districts; ½ are elected by proportional representation with a minimum threshold
Federation Council
Chosen by provincial legislatures and governors
In Nigeria, what are the requirements of votes needed to elect a president?
Winner must have >25% in >⅔ of the 36 states + FCT
What are TWO ways that Mexico has increased political competition?
Eliminated el dedazo, or selection of successors by the president
Privatized state-owned corporations, decreasing patronage and corruption
Reduced one-party control at sub-national level, so governors were not controlled by PRI national party leadership
Established and continually strengthened the National Electoral Institute
What 3 rights does Mexico's 1996 General Law of Political Parties guarantee?
Right to affiliate with a party
Right to participate in political activities
Right to vote for candidates
Differentiate between pluralist and corporatist systems
Pluralist systems promote competition among multiple autonomous groups not linked to the state
In corporatist systems, the government controls access to policy making by relying on state-sanctioned groups or single peak associations (SPAs) to represent labor, business, and agricultural sectors