To test Duverger's theory, we need to have a measure of the number of cleavages in a society. The measure that is used most often is the effective number of ethnic groups. What does an analyst need to assume if she is to use this measure?

Question

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The analyst needs to assume that all of the nonethnic cleavages in a society (class, religion, region, and so on) are highly correlated with the ethnic cleavages. This is because the effective number of ethnic groups measure takes into account all types of cleavages, not just ethnicity. Therefore, the measure assumes that all cleavages in a society are related to each other in some way, either through overlap or intersection.

To Test Duverger's Theory, We Need to Have a Measure