Download This PaperIn Defense of Majoritarianism
Across Boundaries: Essays in Honour of Robert A. Young. Edited by A. Blais, C deClercy, A. Esselment and R. Wintrobe (eds). McGill-Queen's University Press 2020. Chapter 12.
16 Pages Posted: 23 May 2019 Last revised: 8 May 2020
Date Written: May 6, 2020
Abstract
The majoritarian parliamentary electoral system of Canada has been in existence in the same form since the founding of the modern state in 1867. It has been under attack at various levels of government and in the press periodically over the past two decades or so and has not often been defended. In this paper I offer a vigorous defense of Majoritarianism when the alternative is some form of Proportional Representation. While the individual arguments I employ are well known, the train of reasoning here is, to my knowledge, unusual in the current Canadian context.
Keywords: electoral reform, majoritarianism, proportional representation, principle of representation, principle of responsibility, good government, proportionality, leap of faith, Canada
JEL Classification: D70, D72
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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