Theorising representation in the Māori seats: The crucial role of accountability

Abstract

The guaranteed Mäori seats are a distinguishing and controversial feature of New Zealand's democracy. In recent years, a number of reports, commentators and politicians have called for the seats to be abolished on the grounds that they are no longer "needed" in New Zealand's proportional electoral system. These claims are usually grounded in principles of equality. This paper makes the opposite claim: that principles of equality create convincing and coherent justifications for the Mäori seats. Drawing on feminist theories of representation, particularly the work of Iris Marion Young, Melissa Williams and Anne Phillips, this paper argues that the Mäori seats provide crucial mechanisms of accountability that ensure the fidelity of Mäori representatives to their constituencies. This notion of accountability has been largely absent in debates about the Mäori seats and challenges arguments against the seats that are based solely on perceived "need" relative to proportionate presence.

Politics of Inclusion: Review Essay

“…All through his life, Ambedkar came up with various types of electoral methods (Vundru, 2018). India can take a leaf from New Zealand in this regard, where electoral representation matter is assured to ethnic minorities (Nissen & MacDonald, 2017). Hasan has copiously cited works by most renowned theorists of representation, be it Hanna Pitkin or Anne Phillips or Iris M. Young.…”