Raph Frank > Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:33 PM > > On 9/24/08, James Gilmour <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > We have made some progress in this direction: we imposed STV-PR on > > Ireland in 1920, > > Speaking as an Irish person, I am not sure that is accurate. > PR-STV was supported by the Irish side (partly because they > wanted a system that would reduce the unionist minority's > fears of a united Ireland) . The British government may have > also supported it, but that just means that it was an area of > agreement, rather than them imposing it.
"Imposed" may have been a little strong. What I wanted to convey was that the introduction of STV-PR for the two Parliaments and local government elections in Ireland, North and South, was done a long time ago and was a decision of the British Parliament, at a time when the British Parliament opposed its use for own elections (as it still does!!). I have no doubt there was support for STV-PR in Ireland, but there was also opposition, as the Unionist majority in Northern Ireland dumped STV-PR at the first opportunity permitted under the Government of Ireland Act 1919. I know the Proportional Representation Society of Great Britain and Ireland (now the Electoral Reform Society) lobbied hard in both Ireland and London for STV-PR to be prescribed in the Government of Ireland Bill. > It is true that later FF tried to switch back to plurality > for the elections in the Republic, but that was purely a > power grab as they were starting to lose their easy majority > (and the voters blocked the change to the constitution). Ralph makes a point here that gives the lie to claims that the principles of STV-PR are too complicated for ordinary electors to understand. When the government in Ireland twice tried to dump STV-PR, the ordinary electors twice said "No" in clear referendum results, even though the legendary, popular President tied the second referendum to his own re-election. The voters re-elected him but still said "No" to his plan to dump STV-PR. The people understood the value of what STV-PR gave them and did not want the British-style politics that FPTP (plurality in single-member districts) would have given them. So take heart, all you who believe our representative democracy can be improved! It may take a long time to achieve electoral reform, but once "the people" have been given control of the ballot box, through a sensitive voting system, they are not likely to hand that power back to the politicians and party machines. James No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.526 / Virus Database: 270.7.2/1689 - Release Date: 24/09/2008 18:51 ---- Election-Methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info
