Answering Common Concerns

Critics of PR have charged that proportional representation causes additional gridlock, making it harder for government to function. Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Switzerland provide counter-examples to this theory, however, having enacted comprehensive legislation. It is important to remember that compromise is needed in all forms of government; PR at least affords everyone a voice at the table. In PR democracies, different coalitions form around different issue agendas. Union representatives and environmentalists may join together in some instances but may oppose each other on other issues. The legislation developed would need to reflect the diversity of views of the entire population or else it would be unable to gain enough support to pass. Furthermore, indecision in government does not have to be disastrous. Political control has shifted between parties many times in America. In Ireland, voters have ended the rule of the incumbent government in every election of the last 24 years but maintain stability and a high economic growth rate.

How to Get There

The battle for proportional representation will be hard fought. An effective coalition will need to be built between those who would benefit from the change. Religious conservatives, libertarians, progressives, institutional reformers, 3rd party members, and young independents would all likely support a multi-party system. If this sizable population could effectively join together and put PR high on their agenda, the issue could gain momentum. A PR movement could tap the current popular disaffection with our political institutions, possibly as part of a broader institutional reform movement. Supporters of term limits, campaign finance reform, or a national initiative process might add PR to their agenda.

The battle can also be waged through incremental changes. Single-member districts are not required by the U.S. Constitution. A simple statutory change could allow state governments to use PR systems to elect their delegations to the U.S. House of Representatives. At the state and local level throughout America, citizens could call for experiments with PR. Commissions on voting reform could be established at all levels of government; the goal would be studying low voter turnout and ways to increase voter participation. They could be encouraged to study PR and some would advocate it as a solution. Thus, a voting system that may seem utopian could be only a few steps away. Increased public knowledge about the issue is the most effective tool in the struggle.