Rational choice meets the new politics: choosing the Scottish Parliament’s electoral system

Convery, A. and Lundberg, T. C. (2020) Rational choice meets the new politics: choosing the Scottish Parliament’s electoral system. Government and Opposition, 55(1), pp. 114-129. (doi: 10.1017/gov.2017.40)

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Abstract

Although there has been extensive research about electoral system choice at the national level, we know relatively little about the dynamics of deciding the rules of the game for sub-state institutions. This article examines the factors that influenced the choice of a proportional electoral system for the new Scottish Parliament in 1999. Through the use of archival sources and interviews with key participants, we challenge the conventional rational choice explanation for the adoption of the mixed-member proportional (MMP) system. Although rational considerations on the part of the Labour Party were involved in the choice of MMP, our findings suggest that, as at the national level, theories of electoral system choice need to consider normative values as well.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Lundberg, Dr Thomas
Authors: Convery, A., and Lundberg, T. C.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Politics
Journal Name:Government and Opposition
Publisher:Cambridge University Press
ISSN:0017-257X
ISSN (Online):1477-7053
Published Online:07 May 2018
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2018 The Authors
First Published:First published in Government and Opposition 55(1): 114-129
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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