ABSTRACT
The primary objective here is to test our organisational theory of union democracy in the United States. This will be followed by a similar test, in Chapter 6, in Britain.
It will be recalled that our organisational hypotheses flow from the notion of equality. Close elections are most likely to result from competition among contenders of equal status, power and reputation, resolved by an electorate formally subdivided into potential supporters, such as regions, of equal electoral strength, and under voting systems which ameliorate rather than exaggerate any structurally-produced inequalities. Electoral opposition would also be more likely given the existence of one or more significant centres of independent national power in addition to that of the top officer, in the form of a convention (or conference), an executive council or an appeal court. Constitutional protection for democratic rights would also facilitate opposition.
