4 ms·
At least in the US and Canada - a big part is because we don't have fair elections. In the US there is extensive gerrymandering and just this year there's been
by munk-a 5y ago
At least in the US and Canada - a big part is because we don't have fair elections.
In the US there is extensive gerrymandering and just this year there's been a wave of anti-democratic voter restriction laws passed to try and prop up a dying party but, bigger than all of that, the lack of some alternative to FPTP[1] has forced extremism in the populace. Even in Canada with a parliamentary system that eschews direct elections of the head of state[2] there is still rampant strategic voting and low voter satisfaction.
We can't elect competent legislators because we don't have competent elections.
1. First-pass the post, i.e. whoever gets the most votes is declared the unanimous winner.
2. Well, the real one - not Queen Elizabeth II
- M2Ys4U 5y agoYou can add the UK to that list, too. Again, the problem is FPTP.
- tick_tock_tick 5y agoGerrymandering doesn't play a real role in Federal elections.
- lazyasciiart 5y agoYes it does, because federal elections are run by the people elected by gerrymandered states. The state legislatures are swung by gerrymandering, and then pass legislation that swings the senate and presidential election votes for their state.
- munk-a 5y agoAt least in the US Federal elections include the election of House Reps which are absolutely gerrymandered to all heck. In Canada the gerrymandering is much less insane because, honestly, we've still got shame working for us at a societal level keeping people more in line.