Response 1

Examining the different forms of electoral systems throughout the world, I believe, provides a significant insight to the struggle of new democratizing nations to develop fair, functioning democracies. I largely agree with both Lijphart and Reilly that when dealing with a newly beginning, and more importantly ethnically fissured, democracy the plurality system that we swear by in our American elections is simply too dangerous an option. Both agree that in an ethnically fractured society the need for a minority voice within domestic government overcomes the need for a single party term that can make fast, decisive, but accountable choices. In the US, these plurality system values are concordant and even helpful to our current political status, as although we are very far from being perfect, we have been able to create parties that are not solely tied to an ethnic base. In many new developing nations that hearken back to a strong tribal system of government, voting outside of one’s ethnic group seems wholly inconceivable. With either a plurality system or a preferential system, voters can feel their vote is not wasted, and they will have the opportunity to be represented in their new democracies, encouraging participation and confidence in government. Additionally, as a world superpower, the US is forced to make expedient security and defense decisions, and it is crucial that the players in office are (at least theoretically) held accountable for these decisions. However, in developing nations, where democracy is both a very new system of government but also a new way of thinking of how people are governed, the primary focus is not making expedient decisions from outside pressures, but controlling some of the most detrimental domestic problems of nations, such as ethnic violence, systemic corruption, and majority oppression. This creates a value shift away from the need for strong, accountable manufactured majorities, to a need for varied, representative governments such as PR systems or preferential voting systems.