2005/03/20

Why First-Past-the-Post is stupid

One of my personal loves in the study of politics is electoral systems.
This is why I think First-past-the-post is the most stupid system*:

Lesotho 1998 Legislative Election

PartyVotesseats (of 80)
Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD)60.7%78
Basotho National Party (BNP)24.5%1

With one seat left vacant.

Why are there still countries out there using that system? That is not a fair election. Lesotho consequently changed their electoral system to Proportional Representation.

USA, Canada, UK- will you follow that example?


* Okay so the block vote is worst, but that is a form of FPP.

posted by Greg Stephens @ 3/20/2005 03:40:00 am 

2 Comments:

“With one seat left vacant ”

Maybe they can't count past 79?

Seriously though, I myself can't believe countries claiming to be democracies don't use porportional representation. THAT is a REAL joke.

But let's hear the arguments... I can't wait :-) 

Posted by WhyNot
3/20/2005 04:57:00 am  
I like it. It looks like a way in which issues could be decided on their own merit, rather than being used as political bargaining chips by "special interests". 

Posted by SheaNC
3/20/2005 09:04:00 am  

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