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The Democratic Deficit

The Democratic Deficit. Doug Brown St Francis Xavier University Feb 2010. Democratic Deficit. What is the Democratic Deficit? Causes and Effects Reform proposals Prospects and potential for change. What is the Democratic Deficit?.

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The Democratic Deficit

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  1. The Democratic Deficit Doug Brown St Francis Xavier University Feb 2010

  2. Democratic Deficit • What is the Democratic Deficit? • Causes and Effects • Reform proposals • Prospects and potential for change

  3. What is the Democratic Deficit? • Original term referred to European Union institutions that had little or no electoral legitimacy • Broader use of term, to mean widespread dissatisfaction with representative democracy.

  4. Key Indicators of the “democratic deficit” • Declining trust in Government • Declining sense of “efficacy” by voters • Declining voter turn-out, especially youth

  5. Alternative Explanations for Democratic Decline (Perlin) • Inability of Governments to deliver to economic expectations, since c. 1975 • Unprecedented degree and pace of social change • Greater personal and family insecurity • Media trends: aggressive investigation, fragmented audience • Socio-econ correlations: income + education (+ age) = participation

  6. Reform Proposals • Electoral system • Fixed election dates • Internal Party democracy • Party financing • House of Commons process • Senate election • Deliberative democracy

  7. Electoral System Reform:Do we need it? • Parties with thresholds of support under 20% nationally do not get many seats if support evenly spread • Poor representation by women, aboriginals • 1993, 1997 and 2000 elections: • Excessive concentration by region: Liberals in Ontario; BQ in Quebec; Alliance in west • No real competition to the Liberals

  8. Electoral System Reform Alternatives • Majority / Plurality • FPTP – USA, Canada, UK, India • Alternative & Two-Ballot systems – Australia, France • Proportional Representation • Party lists – Spain, Scandinavia • Transferable vote – Australia Senate • Mixed • Territorial Districts plus Party Lists – Germany, Ireland, New Zealand

  9. Characteristics of Current Electoral System (SMP/FPTP)…PRO’s • Superior representation of individual districts • Produces a majority 7 out of 10 times • Relatively simple to understand, quickly counted

  10. Characteristics of Current Electoral System (SMP/FPTP)…Cons • Does not accurately reflect party support (especially NDP). Huge constraint on entry of new parties • Constrains other-than “majority” candidates (women, visible minorities, etc) • Probably contributes to Liberal Party dominance • Distorts regional representation, adding tensions to national unity

  11. PR ModelsComparing results in 2008 Federal Election

  12. Chrétien’s reform of party financing • Restricts corporate and union donations • Encourages more individual donations • Spending limits for candidates • More reimbursement for candidate expenses • $ 1.75 per vote, per year as funds to each party between elections

  13. Paul Martin’s 2004 Agenda • Free votes in Parliament and looser party discipline overall • Bigger role for parliamentary committees • Open to more input to Senate and Supreme Court appointments • More consultation and deliberation by/with the general public • [but no commitment re electoral system]

  14. Further controls on party and candidate financing (see Accountability Act) Fairer party nomination races Fixed election dates Senate elections (proposed 8-year terms) Free parliamentary vote on same sex marriage More free votes in general More power to parliamentary committees More “rep by pop” in House of Commons √ √? √x √p X X X √p Harper Conservatives

  15. What do you think? • Has the election of three minority parliaments in a row reduced the democratic deficit? Or the outcry for doing so? • What would it take to make youth voters turn out in bigger numbers? • Would you support some form of PR system?

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