Why Minority Governments Work

This book is an examination of minority government performance in conjunction with the territorial distribution of state power and the territorial interests of political parties. It examines political institutions, and the reconcilability of party goals and the contingent bargaining circumstances, in multilevel and territorial perspectives.

"Two Cheers for Minority Government presents a concise, accessible analysis of the prevalence of minority governments in Canada. Using the Canadian case to reflect on the processes and procedures of the parliamentary system, Peter H. Russell explores the tendency for people in parliamentary government to prefer elections which result in one party getting a margin of seats. Russell aims to explain why a minority government is not only a likely outcome of parliamentary elections in Canada but is also, for most, the best possible outcome. He argues that the best result of parliamentary actions is for no party to end up with a majority of seats in the lower house. So called "hung" parliaments result in much more decision of policy in the elected chambers of parliament. This makes for government that is more accountable to the people. The new edition reveals how the increasing frequency of parliamentary elections resulting in no party winning majority seats is resulting in parliamentary government, world wide, evolving in a positive, democratic direction. Ultimately, Two Cheers for Minority Government aims to help both citizens and politicians to make the most of minority government, give it more stability, and make it work as well as it can for Canada."--

Examines minority governments to show they are not exceptional or unstable.

This book is an examination of minority government performance in conjunction with the territorial distribution of state power and the territorial interests of political parties. It examines political institutions, and the reconcilability of party goals and the contingent bargaining circumstances, in multilevel and territorial perspectives.

In 2015 the Harper era in Canadian foreign policy was over, suggesting a return to the priorities of a gentler, more cooperative Liberal governments. But was the Harper era really so different? And if so, why? This comprehensive analysis of Canada’s foreign policy during this era addresses these very questions. The chapters, written by leading scholars and analysts of Canadian politics, provide an excellent overview of foreign policy in a number of different policy areas. They also come to a surprising conclusion as to whether the transition from a minority to majority government in 2011 shaped the way the Harper Conservatives conceived of, developed, and implemented international policy.

Constitutional conventions precede law and make law making possible, but attempting to define them is politically risky yet increasingly necessary.

With over 400 A-Z entries, this new dictionary provides clear and authoritative definitions of terms within the fast-growing field of African Politics. It includes coverage on elections, parties and judiciaries, but also popular protest, gender-relations, the politics of development, and Africa's international relations. Entries comprise of major events and figures within African Politics, including the East African Community and independance, as well as covering key terms of particular relevance to Africa such as neopatrimonialism, queue voting, and post-conflict power sharing. Written by a world-leading political scientist working on the area of African politics, this dictionary is an essential guide for both undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as academics, journalists, and researchers working on African politics alike.