Democratic Reform: Gently Gently Skinny Dipper

Long Comment Reply Better As Post: Proportionality is not the be-all and end-all of electoral systems. Elections have many purposes, one of which, very central, is to more or less accurately reflect the public's partisan preferences, or depending upon one's view of individual/popular sovereignty & representative democracy, preferences for representation locally and more widely, whether based on candidates' individual merits or wider considerations of political philosophy. But central as it is, this is only one of several functions elections' play.

I am a great believer in incremental, organic, "do no harm", easily understandable political change, whenever possible (some situations just can't wait). That is to say I am quite conservative in a (Burkean?) sense, except that quite a few policy questions can't wait, in my mind.

I don't think FPTP is bad. It well fulfills many of the other functions of elections (gives us a clear winner, with clear program, clarifies terms of debate, etc.) I just think it could be better. That's why I favour simple preferential voting as a first step down the path to further moderate electoral reform.

I didn't like the low threshold the Ontario had for winning seats. Germany has 5% and I would favour even higher than that, say 7.5% minimum. And why closed instead of open lists? I would have voted against the Ontario MMP proposal as it stood.

It is easy to adopt electoral systems. It is hard to change them as they bias the political landscape so as to ensure their survival. So it is that, comfortable but dissatisfied with FPTP, I could only support a system I felt I could live with for a generation or two. Given our institutions have been built around all the assumptions built into FPTP, a system which mimics it as far as possible is best. Hence, either simple preferential or MMP with a relatively high threshold and open list.

Having been politically involved for a while, it seems clear that the Canadian public is innately conservative as well, more than me. We are all some form of red tory. I'm just more red than most. But electoral reformers, the true believers, might do well to keep our national character in mind when campaigning. Why not target electoral reform within those cities, like Montreal, with a party system? Easier targets help build the case for bigger things down the line.

Finally, the most important democratic reforms we need are the restoration (institution) of honourable parliaments with most votes being decided with 1- and 2-line whips, strengthened committees and a greater scope for action by individual MPs, as is the case in the UK. Perhaps electoral reformers might do better to lobby for these reforms first. Let's see what a properly-functioning, healthy, FPTP system gives us before revolutionising our system. Then if needs be, let's carefully try another system which easily matches our Westminster tradition, like simple preferential voting, or, "à la limite", MMP. But one thing at a time, eh?