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Two things are implicit in any discussion of political reform: a model of the way the institution or activity in need of reform should operate, and a perception of the way it does operate at variance with that model. To close the gap between the ideal model and the less than ideal reality must be the goal of any reform that is not simply aimless tinkering. For present purposes, analyses of legislatures around the world have been examined to identify three legislative models, each characterized by a particular kind of policy-making relationship between the legislature and the executive.

The article presents abstracts on legislative bodies which include voting equilibrium in mass electorates, two party election systems and the benefits of legislative redistricting on democracy.

The article presents several abstracts on legislative research reports including public opinion data to assess levels of trust in European countries, the representation of women on city councils and party behavior in legislative organization.

The article presents abstracts of several articles including "Public Opinion and Congressional Representation," by Cheryl Herrera, Richard Herrera and Eric R. A. N. Smith, "The Election of Asians to City Councils," by Nicholas Alozie, and "Changes in Electoral Structure and the Success of Women Candidates: The case of Florida." by Anita Pritchard.

The article presents information on several U.S. legislative research reports. Some of the reports include "Constituency Opinion and Congressional Policy-Making: The Reagan Defense Buildup," by Larry Bartels, "Administrative Innovations as Instruments of State Legislative Control," by James Clingermayer on legislators seeking reelection and operating under uncertainty, and "Constituency Service and Incumbency Advantage," by Gary King on incumbency advantage and the large body of contradictory evidence.

The article provides information on the legislative research reports for the issue including "The Puzzle of Midterm Loss," by Robert S. Erikson, and "I Owe It All to Me: Candidates' Investments in Their Own Campaigns" by Clyde Wilcox.

The article presents abstracts on politics which include topics on government representation, legislative districting and congressional elections.

The research on Third World legislatures reviewed here has dealt with the structure of these institutions; with their decision-making and representational functions; with their impact on the process of societal change, particularly in regard to elite recruitment. integration, mobilization, legitimization, and socioeconomic policy-making; and with those factors that affect the development of the legislature itself, particularly the institution's relationship with the people, the bureaucracy, and political parties. Theoretical work on legislative institutionalization and on categorizations of legislatures is also considered. Some observations are then offered concerning the relationship between this work and other subdisciplines of political science, as well as its relationship to the more general area of legislative research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents several documents and articles related to the comparative legislative studies in the U.S. These include topics on the impact of congressional mail on constituent opinion, the effects of electoral shifts and legislative responsibilities on the allocation of time by congressmen. These also include articles on women as congressional candidates in Pennsylvania, the economic conditions and the forgotten side of congress, ballot access requirements in congressional elections, and a comparative analysis on voting in four elective offices.

The article presents several legislative studies in Great Britain and in the U.S. The author stated that for three midterm congressional elections, the relationships of election administration procedures, attitudes and sociodemographic characteristics of citizens are being examine. He added that from the perspective of social learning theory, six 1980 Senate campaigns in which pro-life groups challenged incumbents are being analyzed. Moreover, to locate empirically and conceptually justified clusters of campaign activities, data from a mail questionnaire administered to candidates in the 1979 election for the Louisiana State Legislature are examined.

The article presents abstracts on legislatures and human rights including various methods used by the Brazilian Congress to protect human rights, the passage of civil rights bills by the Korean National Assembly opposing the war-time Rhee regime, and the controversy surrounding the 1954 exposure of Micronesians on the islands of Rongelap and Utirik to radioactivity.

The hypothesis that when members of a legislature deal successfully with political demands emanating from their constituencies, such activities will result in relatively high levels of support for both the legislator and the legislative institution, is tested and supported in a laboratory setting. The accessibility and capability of the legislature compared to other political institutions are identified as factors that influence the degree to which legislators will be successful in dealing with constituent demands. Data from small samples of citizens from seven Asian countries are used to generate measures of support and an indirect measure of the likelihood of legislative success in dealing with demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]