Legislatures Flashcards
(11 cards)
How does Gary Cox define the legislative state of nature?
- Bills can only pass pursuant to formal motions and votes in the plenary session
- Motions pass if a majority of members vote for them
- The plenary session faces a hard budget constraint on time
- Access to plenary time is egalitarian and unregulated.
How would we expect a member to behave in the legislative state of nature if they oppose a piece of legislation?
Fillibuster indefinitely, creating a plenary bottleneck and preventing legislation from being passed.
Is majority rule a good approximation of the legislative state of nature?
The legislative state of nature is closer to unanimity rather than majority rule.
How can the problems in the legislative state of nature be overcome?
Distribute special agenda-setting powers only to certain members of the legislature.
Why does Kaare Strom argue that presidential systems are likely to be more transparent?
Political bargaining is more likely to take place in the open.
Why might there be more chance of principle-agent divergence in a parliamentary system? (Strom)
There are fewer checks and balances on the dominant political party.
What percentage of UK MPs are female?
40.5%
What percentage of UK MPs have a university education?
Approximately 90%.
Why might representation for disabled people be imperfect descriptively?
People with disability who are elected tend to have less severe disabilities.
How do disabled citizens differ from non-disabled citizens in policy preferences?
Disabled citizens clearly differ from non-disabled citizens by being more left wing and more supportive of public spending, income redistribution and healthcare spending.
Do disabled candidates closely reflect the preferences of disabled voters?
They are more likely to reflect a preference for higher spending on healthcare. However, there is not congruence on every policy dimension.
