2. Democracy Flashcards
What was the original view of democracy
- Negative
- The poor will have more power because there are more of them (Aristotle)
What did Abraham Lincoln mean when he said: Democracy is government of the people, by the people, for the people
Of - people elect representatives to office
By - those elected officials hold the power of decision
For - decisions promote the interests of the people
What was Gandhi’s idea of democracy
The weak shall have the same opportunties as the strong
List the 2 ways of defining a democracy
- Procedural
- Substantive
What is a procedural method for determining whether a country is democratic or not
Classifying systems of government according to whether or not cerain procedures or institutions are in place
What is a substantive method for determining whether a country is democratic or not
Classifying systems of government according to whether the democracy functions in the interests of the governed
Name 3 researchers who’s theories where based on a procedural method for identifying democracies
- Robert Dahl
- Karl Popper
- Przeworski et al
What was Robert Dahl’s definition of democracy
- Political equality
- Everybody has an equal voice in how the state should be governed
According to Dahl, what criteria are necessary for a stat eto be considered a democracy
- Free and fair elections
- Universal sufferage
- The policies a government passes depend on the election result
- Citizens have the right to stand as candidates
- Freedom of expression and information
- Freedom of association
According to Popper, what makes a state a democracy
The only thing that is required is that its citizens are able to remove the government from power
Why is Singapore’s status as a democracy in question
- Fits the procedural definition of a democracy
- But does not have competitive elections
According to Przeworski et al, what criteria are necessary for a stat eto be considered a democracy
- The chief executive is elected
- The legislature is elected
- This is more than one party competing in elections
- An alternation of power under identical electoral rules has taken place
Why is Botswana’s status as a democracy in question
- Ruled by the same party since gaining independence in 1966
- Fits Dahl’s definition of a democracy
- Does not fit Przeworski’s definition since a turnover of power has never occured
Why was Mexico’s status as a democracy in question and why is it no longer
- Ruled by the same party from 1929 until they lost the legislature in 1997 and the presidency in 2000
- Many scholars did not consider it a democracy until 2000
What is Polity IV
- Annual mesure
- 184 countries since 1800
- Score from -10 (autocracy) to +10 (democracy)
List the 5 measures used by Polity IV
- Competitiveness of executive (government) recruitment
- Opennes of executive recruitment
- Constraints on the executive
- Regulation of political participation
- Competitiveness of political participation
According to Polity IV, when did democracy become the dominant form of political organiztaion
Around the year 2000
List the waves of democratization according to Huntington
1900-1919 (end of WW1)
- many of the older Western European democracies emerged
1945 (after WW2)
- Many states were rebuilt as democracies
1960 to today
- Decolonisation of countries in Africa and the Middle East
- Rise in democracy in Southern Europe and Latin America
- New democracies in Central and Eastern Europe after the collapse of the USSR
List 3 theories for explaining why countries become and remain democratic
- Social and economic modernisation
- Culture
- Strategic bargains
Who was the main proponents of the Social and economic modernisation explanation for democracy
Lipset
Explain the principles behind the Social and economic modernisation explanation for democracy
- Modernisation creates changes in the economic and social structure of a society which inevitably challenges authoritarian rule and leads to demands for democracy
- All societies are going through a process of modernisation
- It is a uni-directional journey, from a traditional society governed by authoritarianism to a modern society governed by democracy
- The final destination is inevitable
- Once a democracy is established, a wealthy society is more likely to remain democratic
What are the effects of modernisation on society
- Reduction of the agricultural sector
- Increase in industrial sector
- Increase in urbanisation
- Increase in mass education and other social benefits
- Expansion of the middle class
- Emergence of new liberal professionals (doctors, lawyers, journalists…)
What are the 2 distinct hypotheses associated with modernisation theory
- Democracy is more common in rich countries than poor countries
- Transitions to dictatorship become less likely as wealth increases
What criticisms exist for modernisation theory
- Evidence does not support th eidea of an inevitable uni-directional journey (some countries in the Middle East bacame wealthy without becoming democratic)
- Not all countires that have become democratic were highly developed (India)
- Does not consider choices made by political actors
What condition did Moore add to the theory of modernization to address some of the criticisms
No bourgeoisie, no democracy
Describe the Cultural explanation for democracy
Political institutions canonly become embedded and accepted within society if they are aligned with the culture of that society
Which theorists were at the root of the Cultural explanation for democracy
Montesquieu (18th century)
Mills (9th century)
What was Lipset’s argument in favour of the Cultural explanation of democracy
Argued that catholicism was incompatible with democracy because:
- Teachings from the bible were the basis on which to arganize society and the word of god cannot be questionned
- Hierarchical organization of the catholic church are incompatible with political equality
What was Huntington’s hypothesis in relation to the Cultural explanation for democracy
Western concepts differ fundamentally from those prevalent in other civilizations
- individualism
- liberalism
- constitutionalism
- human rights
- equality
- liberty
- rule of law
- free markets
- speration of church and state
What hypothesis did Almond and Verba define in relation to the Cultural explanation of democracy
Some societies have a civic culture that sustains democracy
According to Almond and Verba, what 4 elements of civic culture are needed to sustain democracy
- a belief that individuals can influence political decisions
- high support for existing political system
- high levels of interpersonal trust
- preference for gradual social change
How did Inglehart expand on Almond and Verba’s ideas
- Modernisation leads to the emergence of a civic culture
- Civic culture sustains democracy
What are the 2 hypothesis associated with the Cultural explanation of democracy
- Democracy is more common in some cultures (ex. Western culture)
- Economic development does nto directly cause democracy – rather it leads to the development of a civic culture which in turn leads to and sustains democracy
What is the main criticism for the Cultural explanation for democracy
Many Islamic countries are considered democratic (Albania, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Senegal, Turkey)
Evidence shows taht once you factor out a country’s GDP and growth rate, then whether the country has a Muslim majority makes no difference to the likelihood of that country becoming or remaining democratic
What is the WVS
World Values Survey
- Project led by Inglehart
- Regularly collects values and beliefs from over 100 countries (since 1981)
What are the 2 dimensions discovered in the WVS project
- Survival or self-expression values (closely related to economic development)
- Traditional vs secular-rational values
What is the main discovery from the WVS project
The majority of the world’s non-democracies tend to be in those countries characterized by a belief in survival and traditional values
Describe the Strategic Bargains theory for explaining democracy
Emphasises how, if the conditions are right, authoritarian leaders are forced to establish democratic institutions in order to appease a mass group of citizens who are demanding democratic representation and economic equality.
According to this theory, agreeing to establish democratic institutions such as competitive elections, offers a credible method for elites to meet the mass’ demands for increased political power while preventing all out revolution.
What 2 choices do dictators face in the Strategic Barganining theory of democracy
- Dictatorship where elites govern in their own interests bu tthey have to pay a cost for repressing the mass of citizens
- Democracy, where the majority governs in the interests of the citizens
How to citizens ensure a credible commitment in the Strategic Bargaining theory of democracy
Democratic institutions are the means by which the masses guarantee and protect the equality they demand
According to Acemoglu and Robinson, what 3 factors influence whether and when a democratic transition occurs
- Level of likely wealth redistribution (bigger inequalities may mean greater demand for equality from the masses / but elites will fight harder to retain that privilege)
- Probability of there being a revolution or coup
- Cost of repression
What hypotheses can we draw from the Strategic Bargains theory of democracy
- Elites in non-democracies cannot credibly commit to redistribute wealth without democratic institutions
- Higher wealth inequality raises the risk of democracy for non-democratic elites, which leads to more efforts to suppress it
- Economic chocks lead to transitions to democracy, but not away from it – this is becasue in non-democracies the middle class blames the elites for economic failure, and in democracies they blame the government of the day
How did democracy emerge in Britain
- Emerged as a result of strategic concessions made by wealthy elites in order to stave off social revolution
- Th eeffects of each concession was limited
- Occured against a backdrop of economic development, rapid industrialisation, urbanisation and rising economic inequality
How did democracy emerge in Argentina
- Gained independence in 1810
- Series of coups with periods of democracy from 1930s to 1983 (democratic since)
- Example of what happens when the masses demand democracy but the elites fight back
How did democracy emerge in Singapore
- Same democratic party in power since the 50s
- Retains control through media, gerrymandering, harassment and threats
- Retains popularity through extensive social welfare programs as well as threats and coersion (some imprisonment and harassment)
How did democracy emerge in Tunisia
- After decades of repression and inequality, revolution eventually secured democracy in 2011
