Hungarian mothers to get extra votes for their children...

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From the Guardian.


Hungarian mothers to get extra votes for their children in elections

In a move that would be unprecedented in a modern democracy, Hungary's new government is considering giving mothers with small children extra votes in elections.

The conservative Fidesz party has made several controversial decisions since coming to power on a populist rightwing agenda, including a crackdown on the media, but the latest proposal could be prove to be its most contentious.

"Some 20% of society are children," said József Szájer, a senior Fidesz official and MEP. "This is quite a considerable group that is left out of representation. The interests of these future generations are not represented in decision-making." He added: "We know at first it seems an unusual idea, but in the 50s it was unusual to give votes to black people; 100 years ago, it was unusual to give votes to women."

The party initially inserted the provision into a new permanent constitution expected to be approved on Monday, but after polling showed the public divided on the idea because of concerns Roma families would get additional votes, party officials opted instead for legislation.

Szájer said he was inspired by the work of the American demographer Paul Demeny, who developed the concept in 1986. Under Demeny Voting, each parent is given half a vote for each child, permitting a split vote in the event that the parents have differing political loyalties.

However, to counter concerns about the Roma winning more votes, Szájer said in the Hungarian case, the move would have "permitted the passage of a law giving mothers the vote on behalf of a maximum of one child".

He added: "I hope in this case to contribute to a law in the medium term.

"The aim is to continue the debate and increase support for the idea not just in Hungary but in Europe."

The discourse on Demeny Voting first emerged in Germany and Japan in the 2000s as a solution to concerns that policy development is biased in favour of the elderly rather than young families. In early March, the Centre for Intergenerational Studies at Hitotsubashi University held a conference on the subject.

But a University of Chicago law professor, Tom Ginsburg, an expert on new democraciesand co-founder of the Comparative Constitutions project, said the concept dated back to before universal suffrage and the belief that certain people, such as landowners, white males or church figures, have more of a stake in the governance of society.

"This is unprecedented in a democratic constitution, and harkens back to 19th-century use of property qualifications to restrict the franchise," said Ginsburg. "Over-weighting votes for those with families undermines the political rights of those who choose not to have families."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/ap ... CMP=twt_fd

Absolute ridiculousness

Now that is a novel move in politics.

I'm of mixed mind about it, but what an idea!

Yeah, I don't see this catching on any time soon.

This is the most interesting thing i've read about in politics for a while. I haven't go a clue what to think about it. I'll have to get back to you.

I like it.

This is more like the 3/5s compromise where white slave owners got more votes because they had black slaves, rather than when black Americans actually got the right to vote.

Considering the children aren't actually voting, their mothers are just getting to use them to overrepresent their own views.

Stupid idea.

Why mothers and not fathers?

For the same reason that Child benefit in the UK is payed to the mothers and not the fathers. Women are seen as being more nurturing and having the childs best interests at heart. There is undoubtedly a connection between mothers and their offspring that fathers dont have. We are birthed from our mothers bodies and they will always see us as a part of them.

And if you enabled those kids to vote themselves, they would most likely vote what their moms say.

Widowed fathers should be able to get the vote.

@ Vex: yes, and single fathers with custody as well.

I don't have any kids, but I actually like this idea. Maybe it would introduce a little bit more of a long-term perspective than the current 'get through the next election cycle' system.

The Hungarian political system must be barking up the wrong tree, then again we haven't hear extra votes of pet owners being mooted now have we!

I wonder how well the likes of Jobbik will do in this election. A bizarre name for a political party/movement if ever I heard one.

A similar idea is being floated about people's right to vote being more fair based on how much they contribute to society.

1 man = 1 vote

If you pay $25,000 a year in income tax, you get an extra vote.
If you pay $50,000 a year in income tax, you get two extra votes.
Etc...up to 4 extra votes.

Make it so those who bear the burden of taxation get more say than those who do not.