The paper examines the power paradox associated with the Westminster system, as it has lent itself to cycles of refonn and repeal. The contrast is the coalition-building produced by electoral stalemate in countries with prcpotional representation. It is argued that democratic economic planning and trade union accommodation became possible by mid-century only under specific circumstances: power-sharing, Keynesian economic policy means, and cohesive trade unionism. A key factor is the facilitation of confederational control that occurs when coalition-building is imperative for the attainment of control over policies.
