Contests for State Power： An Examination of the Consequences of Variations in Electoral Systems in Contemporary Africa

The choice of electoral system determines how the entire electoral process will be run. It can affect not only the size of electoral districts and the ballot structures but also who can vote and how their votes can be counted （Reynolds, 2009; Reynolds, Reilly, ＆ Ellis, 2008）. Conflicts are more likely to arise if an electoral system is perceived as a system of ＂pick and choose＂. Some electoral systems may be less prone to post-election conflicts than others; and to some extent such electoral systems may also be more helpful in promoting democracy than others. In addition, studies have shown that many African countries that hold elections inherited their political systems from their former European colonial powers （Reynolds, 2009; Blanton, Mason, ＆ Athow, 2001; Young, 1986）. Such systems are less likely to work on African terrains. Therefore, designing an electoral system that can help minimize frequent occurrences of political conflict requires not only an in-depth knowledge of party systems in Africa but also a deep understanding of electoral rules of the game. This paper covers two interrelated topics： African models of electoral systems with a particular emphasis on electoral rules and democracy promotion, and elections and party systems.

District Partisan Homogeneity, Communications, and the Electoral Motive: An Analysis of the Facebook Posts of Members of the U.S. House of Representatives

The research examines the way in which members of the U.S. House of Representative represent themselves on the social network site Facebook. Each member’s activity is observed on seven different occasions and the frequency and substantive character of posts made during the second half of 2013 are established. The focus is on position-taking posts versus posts which mention the district the member serves in. Our expectation is that members from electorally safe districts will be more likely to advertise their policy positions while members from marginal districts will be more inclined to advertise their district connections. We control for minority party status, gender, and ideological extremism among other concerns and learn electoral safety is a good predictor of both “position-taking” and “district mentions”. Consistent with an electoral motive, we also find members from the minority party less likely to take positions on the issues of the day and more likely to mention the district they serve in.

Electoral Behavior in Sub-Saharan Africa： Explanatory Factors and Implications： An Exploratory Study

The aim of this research is to identify the factors that determine the voting behaviors of African populations in a context of strong competition between different political products. To do this, a synoptic review of concepts involved is first presented. Then, 60 semi-directive interviews were conducted with persons who have the voter cards and who participated in the vote during the last two presidential and legislative elections in order to identify the factors that influenced their decision. A content analysis of the interviewees＇ speeches reveals that four categories of factors determine the electoral behavior of Cameroonians： candidate profile, socio economic, political and situational factors.

Elections ＆ Human Rights in India and Mauritius： Micro Analysis Through Electoral Integrity

Success of the democracy largely depends on the level of electoral integrity. In this paper, the core notion of ＂electoral integrity＂ refers to agreed international principles and standards of elections, applying universally to all countries worldwide throughout the electoral cycle, including during the pre and post-electoral period. As such, a quantitative and empirical method is employed to insight the quantum of electoral integrity of India and Mauritius where they respect human rights for real democratization. Main focus of the paper is to highlight the success and failure of democracy and how the two countries （India and Mauritius） respect human right but the yardstick of study is based on electoral integrity.

Concurrence and Turnout Effect of Reforms on Electoral Processes in Mexico

Since the 1990s, the turnout in electoral processes has decreased, taking into account the Mexican context with its democratic transition, this decrease started after the 1994 federal election. The drop in turnout in federal elections had its lowest figure during the midterm elections of 2003, it picked up during the electoral process of 2009 and kept the same level of 2012. The change in the electoral turnout pattern for the federal elections in Mexico after 2009 can be explained as the combined effect of the electoral cycle and the concurrence between federal and local elections. Beginning from the hypothesis that there is a close link between institutions and contexts, the purpose of this study is to prove with the analysis of the electoral processes from 1997 to 2012, the effect of the electoral reforms--specifically the one in Article 116 of the Constitution in 2007-on turnout for federal elections of 2009 and 2012.

Analyzing the Electoral Reform of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong： The Integration of Elite Democracy and Mass Democracy

According to a decision of the National People＇s Congress （NPC） Standing Committee of the People＇s Republic of China in 2007, the 2017 Chief Executive election can be implemented by universal suffrage. It caused a lot of conflicts in the Hong Kong society. Nevertheless, on August 31, 2014, the NPC Standing Committee came to the decision that a 1200-member Nominating Committee should elect two or three candidates before a territory-wide ballot by ordinary voters and the 2016 legislative election would remain unchanged. This decision detonated Umbrella Movement afterwards. Hong Kong Pan-democratic camp, in conflict with the government, proposed ＂party nomination＂ or ＂civil nomination＂. On June 18, 2015, the Legislative Council rejected this unmodified electoral reform proposal, which was uncommon under the ＂One Country, Two System＂. Hong Kong, as the Special Administrative Region, enjoys high-level autonomy, yet it can be influenced by the intervention of the Central Government. Analyzing the decision-making and intention of the Central Government regarding the electoral reform of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong will facilitate our understanding of the political development of Hong Kong in the near future. This paper argues that the design of the electoral reform will be critically important for the political development in Hong Kong. On the one hand, the Central Government has to follow the Basic Law, for example, Article 45, which stipulates the election procedure. On the other, it emphasizes that the Chief Executive pledges loyalty to Beijing, and only specific design of the electoral reform can guarantee it. The practice of democratic principles exists with the election of freedom and justice. Worldwide experience demonstrates various democratic election mechanism and system, none of which can apply to all societies. Democratic election development China's Mainland, Hong Kong Administration, and Macao Administration have difference in history. They should explore the democratic election mechanism, which takes root in and suits each cultural characteristics. As is well known, democracy relies on competition and compromise between conflicting principles and stakes. The election for the Chief Executive in Hong Kong of 2017 is a product of competition and compromise between different principles and stakes. This paper argues that the Chief Executive election of 2017 is a combination of elite democracy and mass democracy.

Are Voters Mind Static? Statistical Analysis of Unremitting Shift of Mind of Ghanaian Voters (2016-2020)

Elections play a crucial role in a very democratic society as they provide a means of electing their preferred candidates or leaders. It serves as a mechanism for expressing the collective will of the people and ensuring a peaceful transfer of power. This study therefore seeks to determine the difference between the proportion of votes garnered by the two main political parties during 2016 and 2020 elections. The study employed descriptive research design with two population proportion tests and found that Ghanaian voters in 2020 shifted towards the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at 95% confidence level. Moreover, in 2016, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) defeated the National Democratic Congress (NDC) with close to a million votes. Thus, in 2020 election, the results clearly indicate a shrank in the margin of votes between the two main political parties in Ghana. The results further revealed that during the 2016 and 2020 elections, Ghanaians changed their pattern of voting towards these two political parties. Additionally, the New Patriotic Party lost more votes as compared to what they garnered in the year 2016 at 95% and 99.9% confidence level. Also, the gap of votes between the two main political parties shrank at 95% and 99.9% confidence level. Based on the findings of the study, it was further concluded that political parties should not take the voters for granted and it should be known to political leaders that the voters have now changed their mindset and have shifted from the previously tribalistic line of voting. Therefore, for a political party to remain in power, it must promote good public relations with the masses and good campaign messages or policies that are beneficial to the electorates.

Are Voters Mind Static? Statistical Analysis of Unremitting Shift of Mind of Ghanaian Voters (2016-2020)

Elections play a crucial role in a very democratic society as they provide a means of electing their preferred candidates or leaders. It serves as a mechanism for expressing the collective will of the people and ensuring a peaceful transfer of power. This study therefore seeks to determine the difference between the proportion of votes garnered by the two main political parties during 2016 and 2020 elections. The study employed descriptive research design with two population proportion tests and found that Ghanaian voters in 2020 shifted towards the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at 95% confidence level. Moreover, in 2016, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) defeated the National Democratic Congress (NDC) with close to a million votes. Thus, in 2020 election, the results clearly indicate a shrank in the margin of votes between the two main political parties in Ghana. The results further revealed that during the 2016 and 2020 elections, Ghanaians changed their pattern of voting towards these two political parties. Additionally, the New Patriotic Party lost more votes as compared to what they garnered in the year 2016 at 95% and 99.9% confidence level. Also, the gap of votes between the two main political parties shrank at 95% and 99.9% confidence level. Based on the findings of the study, it was further concluded that political parties should not take the voters for granted and it should be known to political leaders that the voters have now changed their mindset and have shifted from the previously tribalistic line of voting. Therefore, for a political party to remain in power, it must promote good public relations with the masses and good campaign messages or policies that are beneficial to the electorates.

The Bacteria in a Giant's Body--Analysis of Problems in USA Politics

The United States is the first bourgeois republic nation.The history of its political system dates back to 400 years ago.In the history of the American Continent,'The May Flower Treaty' for the first time wrote the democratic thoughts on the paper.And the Virginia Congress was the earliest found congress,which made the Congress a basic political system in the colonies.The Independent Declaration passed on July 4th,1776 established the basic system in the colonies.In 1787 when 'The Constitution of United States' was made and passed,the political system centered on 'checks and balances' was finally confirmed.Since that time,the American politicians have been boasting their most 'advanced' and 'perfect' political system all over the world and trying to promote it all over the world.In fact,more than half of the countries in the world really applied the American political system in their bourgeois revolution.However,the financial crisis originated in USA in 2008 strongly questioned the effectiveness of American political system.The USA government's performance in the crisis was widely criticized by other countries.This dissertation will analyze the problems exposed in the execution of the American political system centered on 'checks and balances'.The writer will exam the problems shown in this time's financial crisis and pay attention to the problems of the two-party system,the electoral system,etc.The writer hopes that the dissertation can give some lights and create a new view.

The Maintenance of Peace in Mozambique: From GPA to the First Multiparty Elections, 1992-1994

After sixteen years of civil war the Mozambican government led by the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) and the Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) have signed the General Peace Agreement (GPA) in Rome, Italy, on 4th October 1992. The agreement that ended the war resulted from a negotiation process initiated following the hurting stalemate situation between the two conflicting parties. In the context of the implementation of such agreement the country experienced, successfully, the first multiparty elections in 1994 with the participation of FRELIMO and RENAMO - former military enemies as well as other political parties without any case of war resumption. This article seeks to identify the determinants factors for peace maintenance in Mozambique from the General Peace Agreement (GPA) to the first multiparty elections. Besides the important support provided by the international community, this article argues that the implementation of power sharing arrangements established in the context of GPA, namely,(1) military power sharing,(2) administrative and territorial power sharing, and (3) power sharing within the electoral institutions played an important role for peace maintenance in Mozambique during the period mentioned above.

Kenya and the Emerging Power-Shift in Global Political-Economy: Right-Wing Populism and Social Media Activism

A potential global power transition characterized by emerging economies of BRICS where China is the likely leading contender against the United States as the only global hegemon seems inevitable.The increasingly multipolar world is evidenced by the attention given to right-wing populism in Europe and USA attributed to China’s aggressive approach to international trade through its stealth entry and subsequent investments in global political-economy.China’s presence in Africa and Trump’s America first policy’s attempt to open“new business frontiers”in emerging economies of Asia and Africa in order to contain Chinese influence and threat in global hegemony are interesting happenstances that require closer scrutiny.Kenya,the biggest economy in East Africa,which is among the fastest growing regions globally,is the gateway to the East African Common Market.Historically,Kenya has a policy of non-alignment in international relations making it possible to receive FDI from both China and the US but with highly contested elections.Therefore,Kenya presents a perfect laboratory for examining the emerging power-shift in global political-economy as the country grapples with traditionally chaotic electoral power transitions and the two biggest economies in the world compete for business in Nairobi.The 2017 elections not only betrayed the international community’s commitment to Western values of human rights and democracy,but also revealed the challenges of governance in post-World War II global liberalism characterized by sophisticated media institutional spaces.

Democratic Transition in Mexico： Case of City Juarez

The electronic and bibliographic sources, as well as some interviews and focus groups conducted in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, all present interpretations by different actors on the so-called democratic transition in Mexico. The model, proposed Carothers （2002） to explain the transition from a dictatorship to democracy, as stage universally. This article shows which of the five assumptions of the model are present in the experience of the Mexican transition and those that were not consider applicable. He also argues that the model shows features of a teleological perspective, by omitting the particularities of each country, eliminating any reference to diversity and difference, becoming an ideological approach linked to the process of economic globalization. It criticizes the absence of discussion of social and economic objectives that should be priority in a conception of substantive democracy, rather than limiting the horizon of the transition to a liberal and normative conception, that assumes two basic formulas： （1） Democracy is equal to elections; and （2） a citizen is a vote. Contrasting documents on electoral disenchantment in Ciudad Juarez and the actions that various political actors have done, we can illustrate what can be termed substantive citizenship.

Fiscal Council and Pre-election Platforms Evaluation： A Scenario for Greece

The crisis of the Greek economy underlined the structural deficiency of the domestic growth model that was depicted to the wide ＂twin-deficit＂ problem of a statist market economy. The core of the domestic growth model is the role of the public sector which, inter alia, was characterized by high and permanent fiscal deficits, low efficiency, and steady divergence from an advanced welfare state. During the 2010-2015 adjustment effort, fiscal adjustment was the critical dimension of the effort in order to stabilize public finances at a sustainable level and significantly reduce the financial needs. The sustainability, however, of public finance stabilization is determined by the structural reforms in the fiscal policy framework and the public financial management framework. One of the structural fiscal reforms was the new law for the establishment of the Hellenic Fiscal Council in 2014 following the European institutional framework. The paper discusses the strong harmonization of electoral cycle and fiscal deterioration and analyses the scenario of enhancing the Fiscal Council＇s responsibilities in Greece with the evaluation of the pre-election platforms. In particular, the paper, taking into account the characteristics of the Greek political economy, focuses on the critical prerequisites so as this scenario to become a real structural reform. These institutional and political prerequisites are institutional independence, political independence, functional independence, broad political acceptance, ＂adjustment period＂, and clarity of rules and evaluation procedures. So, even though the evaluation ofpre-election economic programs seems ultra-difficult for the case of Greece, it should not be set aside as unachievable in the long run.

Idiosyncracies of Democracy： Islamic Societies

The supposedly unique impact of Islamic culture on democracy has been debated by various scholars. While some argue that it has a deleterious effect, others explain why its effect is not any more negative than other religions. Some even argue that there is no reason to assume Islam has a negative impact on democracy at all. The results of empirical studies are equally confusing. While some support the negative view of Islam, others actually demonstrate its positive effect on democracy. This article contributes to this debate by focusing its attention on the often-neglected distinction between electoral and liberal democracies, comparing Islamic societies with the rest of the world. Its findings demonstrate that the religion of Islam cannot be used to explain the seeming lack of the growth of democracy among Islamic societies.

ifm efector检验传感器

ifme fector公司的检验传感器elector dualis可以监视多种防错应用，以便在整个组装自动化工艺中实现100％检验测试。通过外形轮廓的评估，该传感器可以监测部件丢失、良好部件／不良部件、朝向正确性以及正确部件／错误部件等问题，以检测出部件的缺陷。该传感器利用红外光源来提供通过／不通过指示。

Changes of Electoral Politics under the Growing Wealth Gap in East Asia since the Global Financial Crisis:South Korea and China's Taiwan in Comparison

The economic recession caused by the global financial crisis of 2008 affected political change across the world in different ways. Economic and social problems turned into political crises in North Africa. In Europe and America, dissatisfaction over such problems caused social unrest but did not imperil the political order. In East Asia, where competitive party politics have just emerged, the financial crisis sparked a correlative political and economic reaction model involving economic recession--growing wealth gap--public policy transition in electoral politics. Major electoral campaigns over the past five years in China＇s Taiwan, the Republic of Korea and other economies in East Asia indicate thatprlorltizing economic growth and equitable distribution are emerging to be common core issues in different parties＇ electoral competition despite remnant historical questions and highly politicized issues. The new electoral politics based on public policy competition has gained greater space for development against the background of an economic recession and a growing wealth gap, and is exerting a profound influence on the political and economic development process in East Asia.

Electoral Choice

Changes are afoot as the British head to the polls Britain will holdits first electionin five yearson May 6.

Making Electoral Amends

An amendment to the Electoral Law of the National People’s Congress and Local People’s Congresses of the People’s Republic of China providing equal legislative representation to rural and urban people was ratified at the closing meeting of the Third Session of the 1 1th

Experimental investigation of an adjustable ejector for CO_2 heat pump water heaters

An adjustable ejector expansion device for a CO2 heat pump water heater (HPWP) is proposed to improve the system performance. It has been designed to investigate experimentally the effects of the motive nozzle throat area of the ejector, entrained flow pressure, back pressure and primary flow pressure on the entrainment ratio. Experiments based on different motive nozzle throat areas were conducted and the results of the prototype ejector using CO2 as working fluid are presented. The results show that an adjustable ejector can achieve high performance and work well in a wide range of working conditions.