The Evolution of New Party Systems: Voter Learning and Electoral Systems

How do new party systems evolve over time? This article argues that system evolution requires the solution of coordination problems voters face in early elections; this happens through a learning mechanism. Elections reveal information to voters, who update their beliefs about viability and distribution voters’ preferences adjust behaviour. The institutional setting, however, strongly conditions pace learning. Restrictive electoral (single-member district) accelerate harsh penalties they impose on miscoordination, while permissive ones (proportional representation) prolong it. Testing argument district-level dataset democracies provides ample support; learn cast fewer wasted votes time faster single-member district systems. findings point trade-off between consolidation representation; is facilitated by restrictive systems, presence distinct social groups political arena better served ones.