Brazilian Political Science Review

40-57

Authors: Suzeley Kalil Mathias & Eduardo Lucas de Vasconcelos Cruz

This paper works with the relation between technological development and weapons industry in Brazil, pointing out the dependence of this to that one. One reveals as the changes in the commerce of armaments that currently privileges the production of small weapons for exportation. The conclusion is that to keep projects of this nature, is using to advantage the industrial park for the dual production, that is, that one takes care the civil and the military demands. At last, it defends the possibility of the defense industry works as mechanism of regional integration.

94-103

Authors: Tim Fry, Keith Jakee & Martin Kenneally

Many observers have expressed concern that low voter turnout reflects an acute shortcoming in democratic politics. One proposed remedy, making voting compulsory, has garnered increasing attention among academics over recent years. Our article focuses on some of the technical properties of compulsory voting rules (CVR) while ignoring the philosophical debate over whether voting should be an obligation or a right. Using basic probability analysis, we compare a voluntary voting rule (VVR) to a compulsory one. We show that, under certain conditions, an electoral seat or district can become safer – or less competitive – with the imposition of a CVR. We also discuss some political implications of our analysis. For example, when generalized to, say, the national political system, this result implies fewer competitive seats in a CVT compared to a VVR, everything else equal. We contend that, because fewer seats will be “in play” in a CVT, CVRs should exhibit lower turnover of seats. Also, political suppliers can be expected to more narrowly focus their attention – and resources – on this smaller set of competitive seats than we would expect unver a VVR.