This book is a history of the emergence and development of the concept of proportional representation and its relation to political theory within the context of nineteenth-century British party politics focusing on Thomas Hare (1806-1891).

F. D. PARSONS  holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge where he studied under the late Dr Henry Pelling at St John's College. Since 1981 he has been a Professor of History at Franklin College Switzerland.

Preface and Acknowledgements Introduction PART I The Life and Work of Thomas Hare, 1806-1891 PART II Personal Represenation and the Clerisy, 1857-1859 Personal Representation and the Second Reform Act, 1859-1867 The Representative Reform Association, 1867-1874 Proportional Representation and Caucus, 1874-1884 The Proportional Representation Society and the Third Reform Act, 1884-1888 Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index