The Politics of Regime Structure Reform in Democracies

Gideon Rahat

Description

This book examines the success or failure of initiatives aimed at reforming regime structures in democracies, particularly their electoral and government systems. Through a comparative analysis of the several attempts at this type of reform in Israel over more than four decades, Gideon Rahat begins with the failed attempts at electoral reform in the 1970s and 1980s. He then analyzes Israel's successful attempt at promoting government system reform from 1988 to 1992. Finally, he compares the Israeli cases to cases of electoral reform in New Zealand, Japan, and Italy in the 1990s. While the book focuses on the Israeli cases, it places Israel within a comparative framework and makes an important contribution to the debate concerning the politics behind regime structure reform.

List of Tables
List of Abbreviations
Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. Stability and Reform of the Regime Structures of Established Democracies

PART  ONE

The Politics of Electoral Reform in Israel

2. The Electoral System, 1948–1969: A Brief Historical Overview

3. The Politics of Electoral Reform, 1969–1977: The Failure to Promote Compromise

4. The Politics of Electoral Reform, 1984–1990: From (Knesset) Electoral Reform to Government System Reform

PART TWO

The Politics of Government System Reform in Israel, 1988–1992

5. Long-Term Developments, Catalyzing Events, and the Reform Initiative

6. The Actors

7. The Stages of the Reform Process and Overcoming the Barriers

PART THREE

Reform of Regime Structures of Established Democracies in Historical and Cross-National Comparative Perspectives

8. The Israeli Case Studies in a Historical-Comparative Perspective

9. The Politics of Regime Structure Reform in Established Democracies: A Cross-National Comparative Perspective

Conclusions
Epilogue
Notes
Bibliography
Author Index
Subject Index

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791478806
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

The Politics of Regime Structure Reform in Democracies

SUNY series in Israeli Studies

Russell Stone, editor

THE POLITICS OF REGIME STRUCTURE REFORM IN DEMOCRACIES

Israel in Comparative and Theoretical Perspective

Gideon Rahat

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS

Published by STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS, ALBANY

© 2008 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu

Production, Laurie Searl Marketing, Anne M. Valentine

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Rahat, Gideon. The politics of regime structure reform in democracies : Israel in comparative and theoretical perspective / Gideon Rahat. p. cm. — (SUNY series in Israeli studies) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7914-7349-8 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Israel—Politics and government. 2. Democracy. I. Title.

JQ1830.A58R353 2008 320.95694—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2007016958

To Ana, Tsofit, Adi, Maya, and Yuval

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List of Tables

Acknowledgments

List of Abbreviations

Introduction

Contents

Chapter One Stability and Reform of the Regime Structures of Established Democracies

PART ONE The Politics of Electoral Reform in Israel

Chapter Two The Electoral System, 1948–1969: A Brief Historical Overview

Chapter Three The Politics of Electoral Reform, 1969–1977: The Failure to Promote Compromise

Chapter Four The Politics of Electoral Reform, 1984–1990: From (Knesset) Electoral Reform to Government System Reform

ix

xi

xiii

1

7

47

57

77

viii

CONTENTS

PART TWO The Politics of Government System Reform in Israel, 1988–1992

Chapter Five LongTerm Developments, Catalyzing Events, and the Reform Initiative

Chapter Six The Actors

Chapter Seven The Stages of the Reform Process and Overcoming the Barriers

PART THREE Reform of Regime Structures of Established Democracies in Historical and CrossNational Comparative Perspectives

Chapter Eight The Israeli Case Studies in a HistoricalComparative Perspective

Chapter Nine The Politics of Regime Structure Reform in Established Democracies: A CrossNational Comparative Perspective

Conclusions

Epilogue

Notes

Bibliography

Author Index

Subject Index

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147

179

215

231

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277

299

323

329

Tables

Table 1.1 Basic Institutional Features of Regimes in Democracies

Table 1.2 Barriers to Reform in Democracies

Table 1.3 A Framework for the Analysis of the Politics of Reform

Table 4.1 MKs’ Voting Patterns on Electoral Reform According to Party Affiliation

Table 6.1 Voting Patterns in the Three Readings of the Direct Election Law

Table 7.1 MKs’ Voting Patterns in the First Reading (Libai’s Bill) According to Party Affiliation

Table 7.2 MKs’ Voting Patterns in the Second Reading (Article 3) According to Party Affiliation

Table 7.3 MKs’ Voting Patterns in the Third Reading According to Party Affiliation

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8

11

28

86

148

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