[EM] Proportional representation.

[Bob Richard]

Social choice theory, properly so called, originated in the field of 
economics rather than political science. So it is unlikely to be "an 
ethnocentric apology for the hounding of proportional representation 
from some 20 American cities." On the other hand, its pedigree does help 
account for some of its limitations when applied to public elections.

Fortunately, the formal study of election methods includes quite a bit 
more than social choice theory.

--Bob Richard

On 8/3/2016 12:08 PM, Richard Lung wrote:

>
> To all,
> Social choice theory seems to deny fairness of elections without an 
> adequate fairness criterion. The Oxford dictionary defines fair as 
> equitable, which is to say proportional. Obviously, then, according to 
> social choice theory there is no fair electoral system, because its 
> rules do not allow for the proportional count criterion of fairness. 
> (It is based on preference voting - necessary but not sufficient - 
> Iain Maclean, Democracy and New Technology.)
> It recently occured to me that social choice theory is an ethnocentric 
> apology for the hounding of proportional representation from some 20 
> American cities.
>
> From
> Richard Lung.
>
> -- 
> Richard Lung.
>
> E-books (mostly available free or reader-sets-price)
> http://www.voting.ukscientists.com/colverse.html
> Includes the series of books on:
> Democracy Science (starting with electoral reform and research);
> Commentaries (literature and liberty; science and democracy);
> Collected verse (in five books).
>
>
> ----
> Election-Methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info

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