The Tyranny of the Minority: The effectiveness of policy making in Israel.
Introduction to Israel’s Political System
As a fledgling nation facing a unique set of social challenges and physical threats, the democracy of Israel was created in an incredibly volatile environment. Nonetheless, in certain respects Israeli democracy has shown itself to be remarkably stable—for example, not once in Israel’s sixty-five year history have the results of a major election been challenged. In other respects, however, Israeli democracy has presented itself as fundamentally unstable and subject to perpetual inefficiency. This is further exacerbated by the fact that unlike most Western democracies, the state of Israel lacks a formal constitution; instead, Israel has passed a set of Basic Laws intended to fill the gap. One symptom of this perpetually unstable condition is the frequency in which Israel changes the makeup of its governing coalitions—in Israel’s brief history of sixty-five years, there have been thirty-one different governments. The question becomes, to what extent is such an erratic democracy able to set policy and govern effectively? In what follows, this question will be analyzed thoroughly, with an emphasis placed on the role that Israel’s multiparty political system plays in this process.
The political system in Israel is a parliamentary system based strictly on proportional representation. This was a system Israel adopted in the aftermath of the period of the British Mandate in order to accommodate the starkly different social, political and religious groups—and particularly the vast waves of immigrants—that composed its population. In Israel’s parliamentary system, a party receives seats in the Knesset in proportion to the number of votes that they received in the legislative elections. Keeping in line with an accepted principle in political science known as Dueverger’s law , this is a political system which tends to promote the existence of many parties, and Israeli democracy can serve as the poster child for this theory. In Israel’s most recent legislative elections in January of 2013, thirty-four different parties were represented on the ballot, twelve of which passed the 2% electoral threshold and are currently sitting in the Knesset.
The political system in Israel is further complicated by the complex interplay between the diverse religious, economic, political and social groups it possesses...
Table of Contents
I. Introduction to Israel’s Political System
II. Analysis of political voting blocs in Israel
III. Tyranny of the Minority: The effect of small parties on coalition politics
A. The influence of the ultra-orthodox sector
B. The influence of the National Religious Sector
C. The effect of Arab-Israeli non-participation
IV. Politics of “Collections Coalitions” in Israel
V. A Cause for Optimism: The rise of Yesh Atid
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the inherent instability and policy-making challenges within Israel's parliamentary democracy, specifically focusing on how the multiparty system empowers minority groups and small parties to exercise disproportionate influence over national policies. The research questions to what extent this "tyranny of the minority" undermines effective governance and whether recent political shifts offer a pathway toward a more representative and stable legislative process.
- The structural impact of the multiparty system on coalition formation.
- The disproportionate political leverage exerted by ultra-orthodox and religious sectors.
- The consequences of Arab-Israeli political non-participation on legislative outcomes.
- The emergence of centrist movements like Yesh Atid as a challenge to the status quo.
Excerpt from the Book
A. The influence of the ultra-orthodox sector
When the state of Israel was established in 1948, the ultra-orthodox population was a tiny minority estimated at barely one-percent of the Israeli population. Due to maintaining the largest birthrates among Israeli society, currently at between eight-ten children per ultra-orthodox woman, the ultra-orthodox community is by far the fastest growing Jewish demographic in Israel. An exact census of the ultra-orthodox public has proven difficult, though estimates that place their number at 700,000 would indicate that they make up more than 10% of the Jews living in Israel. Together, the two central ultra-orthodox parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, earned 18 out of the 120 Knesset seats, or 15% of the total number of seats. By positioning themselves as parties willing to align themselves with both hardliner and dovish governments depending on the political winds, the ultra-orthodox parties are effectively given veto power over key legislation affecting the entire nation.
Perhaps the most significant issue where this plays out is regarding military draft exemptions in Israel. In Israel, there is mandatory conscription for all citizens upon reaching the age of 18, barring exemptions for physical or psychological reasons and for Israel’s Arab citizens. However, the overwhelming majority of ultra-orthodox males take advantage of a special arrangement between the State and their sector, which allows a de facto exemption to ultra-orthodox men. This arrangement allows them to make a claim referred to as “Torato Omanuto,” that their primary occupation is the study of Torah, which allows them to postpone military service to a point where it is irrelevant. While this arrangement was implemented under the authority of David Ben Gurion in 1948, it was regarded as a temporary measure to absolve some 400 yeshiva students from military service.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction to Israel’s Political System: Provides an overview of Israel’s volatile political environment, the lack of a formal constitution, and the resulting instability in governing coalitions.
II. Analysis of political voting blocs in Israel: Outlines the deep socio-economic, political, and religious divisions that characterize the Israeli electorate and prevent ideological overlap.
III. Tyranny of the Minority: The effect of small parties on coalition politics: Investigates how small parties utilize the proportional representation system to hold veto power, with focus on the ultra-orthodox sector, National Religious parties, and the impact of Arab-Israeli non-participation.
IV. Politics of “Collections Coalitions” in Israel: Analyzes how the inability to form ideologically cohesive coalitions forces prime ministers into incoherent partnerships that hinder effective lawmaking.
V. A Cause for Optimism: The rise of Yesh Atid: Discusses the success of the Yesh Atid party and its potential to shift the political landscape through platform-driven coalition building and electoral reforms.
Keywords
Israel, Democracy, Coalition Politics, Knesset, Ultra-Orthodox, Proportional Representation, Policy Making, Yesh Atid, Conscription, Chief Rabbinate, Religious Coercion, Political Reform, Civil Marriage, Minority Influence, Parliamentary System.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this publication?
This paper focuses on the structural challenges of Israel's parliamentary system, specifically how it facilitates the ability of small, minority-focused parties to exert disproportionate influence on national policy.
What are the central thematic fields addressed?
The core themes include the dynamics of coalition politics, the role of religious authority in secular life, the impact of the military draft, and the challenges of achieving constitutional stability.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to analyze the causes of legislative inefficiency in Israel and evaluate whether recent political developments, such as the emergence of centrist parties, offer a solution to these systemic issues.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The work employs a descriptive political analysis, synthesizing historical data, voting patterns, and sociological polling to evaluate the effectiveness of the Israeli democratic process.
What does the main body cover?
The main body examines specific case studies including military draft exemptions, the Chief Rabbinate's control over personal status issues, and the logistical challenges of forming ideologically cohesive coalitions.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Key terms include coalition politics, minority influence, parliamentary democracy, and policy-making in Israel.
How does the "Torato Omanuto" policy impact Israeli democracy?
The policy grants de facto military draft exemptions to ultra-orthodox men, which is viewed by the secular majority as a systemic injustice, yet it remains protected due to the political necessity of including religious parties in governing coalitions.
Why are Arab-Israeli parties never included in governing coalitions?
Arab-Israeli parties have historically remained outside governing coalitions due to complex political disillusionment and ideological differences, which paradoxically allows other small parties to exploit their position to make larger demands on the coalition.
What role does the Chief Rabbinate play in current political tensions?
The Chief Rabbinate maintains a monopoly over matters like marriage, conversion, and divorce, creating significant social tension and preventing the adoption of laws, such as civil marriage, that are supported by the majority of the Israeli public.
- Citar trabajo
- Badir Bayramov (Autor), 2013, The Tyranny of the Minority. The Effectiveness of Policy Making in Israel, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/264242
