182 THE BRITISH APPROACH TO POLITICS

several Members;,thus Cornwall, which now contains five single-
Member constituencies tfiight become one five-Member
constituency. T/> be elected, a candidate must obtain a "quota"
of votes varying with the number of Members to be returned:
in a five-Member constituency the quota would be just over
one-sixth of the votes cast, in a six-Member constituency, just
over one-seventh, and so on. The Voter records a Transferable
Vote; candidates with more than the quota of first choices are
elected, and their surplus over the quota is distributed among
the other candidates in the proportions which second or later
choices indicate. The votes of the candidates at the bottom
are similarly distributed until the required number of persons
obtain the quota and are elected. Supporters of this system daim
first, that since it gives fair representation to all parties, there
will not be as at present, large numbers of citizens who feel
that they do not get their proper share in choosing the
Government. Secondly, small groups will find it easier to get
representation in Parliament and will thus be able to bring their
proposals to the notice of the great parties, which, left to
themselves, are inclined to $tick to their traditional programmes,
to the neglect of new ideas. Thirdly, the parties, realising that
their seats in the House will be proportionate to votes in the
country, will try to win support by making their programmes
less extreme. Nor will it be usual, as past voting shows, for one
party to get a clear majority in the House, and coalition Govern-
ment will be more frequent. So party strife will be less keen,
and extreme policies, in one direction or another, will be
prevented.

There are several objections to these arguments. It is not
certain that a House which photographically represents each
party and group is a true picture of what the electors want.
Keen party supporters would often prefer to see their party
in opposition than forming part of a Government with other
parties, dependent on them and unable to carry out the policy
in which it believes; for then party members become discouraged