Changes

The United States, Britain, Canada and many other countries mostly utilize a [[first past the post system]] for elections.  The highest vote-getter wins. This limits the number of [[political parties]] and helps to stabilize the system, in contrast to democracies which use [[proportional representation]] where a party winning 5% of the vote is guaranteed a seat. [[Italy]], [[Germany]], [[France]], and [[Israel]] have at times had over 10 parties represented in their legislatures.   

The United States, Britain, Canada and many other countries mostly utilize a [[first past the post system]] for elections.  The highest vote-getter wins. This limits the number of [[political parties]] and helps to stabilize the system, in contrast to democracies which use [[proportional representation]] where a party winning 5% of the vote is guaranteed a seat. [[Italy]], [[Germany]], [[France]], and [[Israel]] have at times had over 10 parties represented in their legislatures.   

==Furtherreading==

==Further Reading==

* Dahl, Robert. ''On Democracy'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/Democracy-Yale-Nota-Bene/dp/0300084552/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263246597&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search], by a leading theorist

* Dahl, Robert. ''On Democracy'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/Democracy-Yale-Nota-Bene/dp/0300084552/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263246597&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search], by a leading theorist

* Dunn, John. ''Democracy: A History'' (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Democracy-History-John-Dunn/dp/0871139316/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263246597&sr=8-8 excerpt and text search]  

* Dunn, John. ''Democracy: A History'' (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Democracy-History-John-Dunn/dp/0871139316/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263246597&sr=8-8 excerpt and text search]  

* Held, David. ''Models of Democracy'' (3rd ed. (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Models-Democracy-3rd-David-Held/dp/0804754721/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263246597&sr=8-7 excerpt and text search], useful textbook

* Held, David. ''Models of Democracy'' (3rd ed. (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Models-Democracy-3rd-David-Held/dp/0804754721/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263246597&sr=8-7 excerpt and text search], useful textbook

* Schumpeter, Joseph A. ''Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy'' (1943) influential conservative interpretation [http://www.amazon.com/Capitalism-Socialism-Democracy-Joseph-Schumpeter/dp/0061561614/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263246597&sr=8-13 excerpt and text search]

* Schumpeter, Joseph A. ''Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy'' (1943) influential conservative interpretation [http://www.amazon.com/Capitalism-Socialism-Democracy-Joseph-Schumpeter/dp/0061561614/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263246597&sr=8-13 excerpt and text search]

==References==

==References==