In discussing the various methods of proportional
representation noticed in this paper, with the exception
of the method of the uniform quota, I have considered the
result that may be expected to occur in a single district.
But in estimating the probability that an election throughout
the country will give proportional or disproportional
representation, it must be remembered that under-or overrepresentation
in some districts is likely to be balanced
by over or under-representation in others, unless the system
used has been deliberately constructed (as was the
D'Hondt) with the object of favouring one party (the
larger party in that case); and consequently that the
result of an election in many districts is more likely to
be in proportion to the strengths of the parties than an
election in one district
