This excellent new book provides a comprehensive account of the British system of parliamentary elections. It contains a description of the current structure and operation of the electoral system, and pays special attention to those subjects which have given rise to political concern or controversy in recent years. There is extensive analysis and commentary upon the different proposals for reform which are currently in debate, and the author puts forward his own conclusions on how the electoral system should be developed in the years ahead to modernise and improve the quality of representative democracy in Britain.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1915 edition. Excerpt: ... The Beginnings Of Democratic Suffrage: The Reform Act Of 1867 Growing desire for more liberal franchise--The Radical and Chartist movements--Weakness of reform movement in House of Commons--The Liberal recognition of need for further franchise reform--Russell's Reform Bills of 1852, 1854, 1860-- Disraeli's Reform Bill of 1859--Difference between the Liberal and Conservative proposals--Gladstone's bill of 1866--The 7 franchise in boroughs--Abolition of rate-paying requirements-- Probable effects of the bill--Opposition in the Commons--Robert Lowe and the "Adullamites"--Methods of opposition--Resignation of the Liberate--Disraeli's bill of 1867--Household suffrage in boroughs--Restrictions--The dual vote--Probable effect of the original bill--The Liberal opposition--Question of personal payment of rates--The compound occupiers--Abolition of composition--Effects of this amendment--Removal of other restrictions-- The new county franchise--Borough freeholders in counties-- Contemporary opinion on the act as passed--The Reform Act of 1867 incomplete. TI THE extent of corrupt practices and the failure of parliament to assure freedom of elections operated, without question, as a very serious barrier to the development of an electoral democracy. The opinions of the voters were stifled either by gold or by fear, and the wealthy classes were able to maintain their domination at the polls to a large degree. This fact was clearly perceived by the keener spirits, and it was not merely to obliterate a cause of national scandal, but also to assure the rights of the voters, that Russell endeavoured to purify methods of electioneering. Many others, also, realized that because of corruption as well as through the complexities of the registration...

The field of elections and electoral systems, and particularly electoral reform, has exhibited tremendous growth and cross-national appeal over the last two decades. However, beyond an increased knowledge of voting rules and their consequences for political representation, little attention has been devoted to the question of why electoral systems have recently undergone substantial change in several liberal democracies. This book addresses several new approaches to electoral reform. First, the scope of the study of electoral reform has been expanded. Second, contrary to previous studies of electoral reform, the conviction that the determinants of reform can be explained by one single approach has been replaced by a belief in a more comprehensive framework for analysis. Third, we move beyond political parties (acting in parliament and government) as the most significant source of electoral reform. Fourth, a focus on the determinants of electoral reform allows us to include motivations and objectives of electoral reform. A final advancement in the study of electoral reform is the inclusion of countries other than ‘established’ democracies. This book was published as a special issue of West European Politics.

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The Limits of Electoral Reform examines a variety of reforms, including campaign finance, direct democracy, legislative term limits, and changes to the electoral system itself. This study finds electoral reforms have limited, and in many cases, no effects. The findings here suggest there are hard limits to effects of electoral reform.