Really? FPTP is discredited? The many countries, including the U.S., which use it are engaging not in a political choice system with which one can honestly disagree, but one that is absolutely without credit?
I wouldn't describe FPTP as discredited (and it seems rather foolish to do so), but I do wonder that the US isn't a very good example of why it works.
My understanding of US politics (which may be wrong, or at least naive) is that it's basically a two-horse race. You've got your Republicans and your Democrats, and realistically pretty much no one else. So FPTP works fine (and is basically equivalent to AV anyway). One of the reasons I feel the UK is floundering a bit is that at the last election there were three horses of (very) approximately equal likelihood which makes the whole business much more complicated.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 09:48 am (UTC)I wouldn't describe FPTP as discredited (and it seems rather foolish to do so), but I do wonder that the US isn't a very good example of why it works.
My understanding of US politics (which may be wrong, or at least naive) is that it's basically a two-horse race. You've got your Republicans and your Democrats, and realistically pretty much no one else. So FPTP works fine (and is basically equivalent to AV anyway). One of the reasons I feel the UK is floundering a bit is that at the last election there were three horses of (very) approximately equal likelihood which makes the whole business much more complicated.