000			01145pab a2200169 454500
008			180718b1999 xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
100			_aTaagepera, Rein
245			_aThe number of parties as a function of heterogeneity and electoral system
260			_c1999
300			_ap.531-48
362			_aAug
520			_aWhat determines the number of parties in a national assembly? Previous work has emphasized either sociopolitical heterogeneity or electoral system permissiveness, or brought them together on an empirical basis. Here an equation is developed that satisfies two theoretical boundary conditions and expresses the effective number of assembly parties (N) in terms of both the number of politicized issue dimensions (I) and effective magnitude (M) of electoral system: N=I6M15+1. Actually, depending on circumstances, any of the three variables could become the dependent one, affected by the two others. Empirical evidence is presented, based on Lijphart's (1984) data on 22 stable regimes. Reproduced
650			_aElectoral systems
650			_aPolitical parties
773			_aComparative Political Studies
909			_a44002
999			_c44002 _d44002