The Core Question
This article examines a crucial tension in political representation. While proportional electoral systems excel at capturing diverse public policy preferences, they may simultaneously harm the quality of selected legislators.
A Swiss Case Study
To explore this trade-off empirically, we analyze Switzerland's early 20th century transition to more intensive forms of proportional representation.
Clever Measurement Approach
We overcome concerns about endogeneity by exploiting natural variation in reform implementation. This method uses administrative constraints and voter preference data.
Key Findings & Significance
Our analysis shows policy congruence with voters increases while legislative quality indicators decrease. The European Parliament's modern patterns support these century-old findings, suggesting a persistent trade-off between representation types.
