Contextual Determinants of Electoral System Choice - Ã bo Akademi

1.2 The Importance of Electoral SystemsWhile most of the theory of electoral systems presupposes a democratic form ofgovernment, the choice of an electoral system is not necessary unimportant in anon-democracy. First of all, every country was non-democratic when the firstelectoral provisions were introduced, albeit in several cases before independencewas achieved. Secondly, the electoral method plays an important role inconsolidating a democratic system. The institutional framework of a nondemocracymay turn out to have a decisive impact on the development towardsdemocracy. For this purpose, a discussion on the importance of politicalinstitutions in general and electoral systems in particular is provided.Elections and electoral systems are integral parts of a broader set of politicalinstitutions that constitute a democracy. Other important institutional choices, inaddition to electoral system, every new democracy is faced with are governmentalsystem, of which parliamentarism and presidentialism are the primary forms,territorial organization, i.e. federal or unitary arrangements, constitutionalism,which is concerned with constitutional amendment rules and judicial reviewarrangements, and, lastly, chamber structure, i.e. a choice between unicameralismand bicameralism. The set of political institutions a fledging democracy adopts iscrucial to the long-term success of any new regime as it structures the rules of thegame of political competition. According to Arend Lijphart (1991a; 1992a: 207)and Giovanni Sartori (1994), the choice of electoral system and the choice ofgovernmental type may be seen as the two most important institutional choices.Institutions matter for several reasons. First, institutionalized systems are lessvolatile and more enduring, because institutions structure behavior into stable,predictable, and recurrent patterns. Second, by promoting the maintenance ofpolitical order and the rule of law, more coherent and effective political institutionsare more likely to ensure civil liberties, to check the abuse of power, and to providemeaningful representation, competition, choice, and accountability. Third, wellinstitutionalizeddemocracies are more likely to produce workable, sustainable, andeffective economic and social policies, due to their effective and stable structuresfor representing interests. Fourth, capable and coherent democratic institutionsprovide effective tools for limiting military involvement in politics and asserting6