Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/422

 408 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

of Berlin in the spring of 1883, for the purpose of enabling a fairer distribution of the members among the various city dis- tricts than was possible before.

An amendment was made to the municipal code in 1891, according to which cities were authorized to redistribute the members among the existing electoral districts and to recon- struct the districts themselves whenever it was deemed desirable. Among other reasons advanced for increasing the number of members in the city council was the fact that in this way a fairer distribution could be brought about and a fuller representa- tion of the various interests of the city. The present city coun- cil is elected in accordance with the provisions of the well-known three-class system, adopted in Prussia as the basis of elections to the state legislature and to most of the city councils. Although the provisions of this law are rather complicated, the general principle may be explained very briefly.

The law provides that every independent male Prussian, twenty-four years of age, may vote in the city of Berlin, who has been a resident for one year preceding the particular election at which he casts his vote, who has not received during that period any assistance from the public poor rates, who has paid his taxes, and who owns a house or carries on an independent business with at least two assistants, or who is assessed to the state income tax at the fictitious amount of 4 marks. Those persons are assessed at this fictitious rate of 4 marks who have an income of between 660 and 900 marks.

As a houseowner or a man who carries on a business with two assistants is likely to pay a higher direct tax than 4 marks, the practical meaning of these various provisions is that an otherwise qualified person, who possesses an income of at least 660 marks, shall be allowed to vote. As a matter of fact, the city of Berlin collects. a city income tax of 4 marks (95.2 cents) upon incomes exceeding 660 marks up to 900 marks, so that, gen- erally speaking, any independent male Prussian citizen, twenty- four years of age, who has lived in Berlin for a period of one year, and who has paid a tax of at least 95.2 cents, is registered in the eligible voting list.