Elections and Electors; Studies in Democratic Representation

The preparation of this book has occupied almost the whole of my time and energy for the last three years, but it was planned, and some of the work for it was done, several years earlier. No pains have been spared in the endeavour to make it thoroughly reliable: I should like to think that it will also be found both illuminating and stimulating. Practically all the statistical information it contains has been specially prepared, and it is hoped that much of this will prove useful for reference. The tables have been based almost entirely on original data, not on secondary sources: for example, the figures for lost deposits, and those for minority members, have been calcu lated afresh from the votes recorded in the official returns.

Apart from the Hollerith computations employed in Chapter 17, I have carried out all the arithmetical work myself. Anyone who has had to handle masses of statistics unaided will appreciate the impossibility of guaranteeing that every single figure is correct; but great pains have been taken to secure accuracy, and it is hoped that any errors there may be in the work will prove relatively insignificant and will not seriously impair its usefulness.