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And _in principle_ I'd say that's a good thing. If all we have is a bunch of parties crowded around the center, there isn't anything left for voters to choose.

And _in principle_ I'd say that's a good thing. If all we have is a bunch of parties crowded around the center, there isn't anything left for voters to choose. I just wish they picked different margins to swing to...

cperciva 10y ago
If all we have is a bunch of parties crowded around the center, there isn't anything left for voters to choose. Yes and no. The median voter theorem suggests that voters' choices were accounted for as parties put their platforms together -- effectively, voters chose, but not when they thought they were choosing. I just wish they picked different margins to swing to... I think there's a problem caused by voters swinging to margins, no matter which margins they swing to: It increases the gap between the voters and their government (either because extremist voters don't like a moderate government, or because one group of extremists hate a differently-extreme government), which diminishes public confidence in the state. Much like a lack of confidence in the justice system, a lack of confidence in the state tends to have very negative consequences, as people "take matters into their own hands".
- vlehto 10y ago
  But there is always only so many topics any one party and median voter agrees on. Many don't really adopt party identity and live by it. So having only few big parties is likely to cause distrust to political parties in general, because nobody accurately represents you. Which ought to translate to distrust to goverment as the big players have the power.
  - cperciva 10y ago
    nobody accurately represents you Does it help if you have someone who accurately represents you, but she is marginalised within the legislature and has no chance of ever being part of the government? If anything, I'd expect that to make you trust the government even less.
- Scarblac 10y ago
  Note that I'm from a country where there are always 10+ parties in parliament, and governments are always formed by coalitions. The median voter theorem assumes 2 parties trying to get a majority. Their standpoints get watered down a lot already after the election when they need to negotiate coalitions, I'd prefer if they were further apart beforehand so it would be easier to make the choice.

cperciva 10y ago

If all we have is a bunch of parties crowded around the center, there isn't anything left for voters to choose. Yes and no. The median voter theorem suggests that voters' choices were accounted for as parties put their platforms together -- effectively, voters chose, but not when they thought they were choosing. I just wish they picked different margins to swing to... I think there's a problem caused by voters swinging to margins, no matter which margins they swing to: It increases the gap between the voters and their government (either because extremist voters don't like a moderate government, or because one group of extremists hate a differently-extreme government), which diminishes public confidence in the state. Much like a lack of confidence in the justice system, a lack of confidence in the state tends to have very negative consequences, as people "take matters into their own hands".

vlehto 10y ago
But there is always only so many topics any one party and median voter agrees on. Many don't really adopt party identity and live by it. So having only few big parties is likely to cause distrust to political parties in general, because nobody accurately represents you. Which ought to translate to distrust to goverment as the big players have the power.
- cperciva 10y ago
  nobody accurately represents you Does it help if you have someone who accurately represents you, but she is marginalised within the legislature and has no chance of ever being part of the government? If anything, I'd expect that to make you trust the government even less.
Scarblac 10y ago
Note that I'm from a country where there are always 10+ parties in parliament, and governments are always formed by coalitions. The median voter theorem assumes 2 parties trying to get a majority. Their standpoints get watered down a lot already after the election when they need to negotiate coalitions, I'd prefer if they were further apart beforehand so it would be easier to make the choice.