2. Measuring democracy & patterns of regime change

Question 1

What are states?

Answer 1

1. States are an entity that succesfully claims a monopoly on the legitimate use of force within a specified territory.
2. Ideally states:
   - guarantee a minimum level of security for citizens
   - implement policies and deliver basic public services
   - generate resources to maintain public services ans tate insititutions
3. So, territory + institutions, relatively stable over time

Question 2

What are regimes?

Answer 2

1. The way that territory is governed
2. Regimes are the rules governing the distribution of power and the relationships between the agents of power.
3. So, patterns/ relationshops of power, relatively stable but less stable than states

The political regime can stay the same, but the people in power can be different.

Question 3

What are governments?

Answer 3

1. Governments are the leadership that runs the state.
2. So, actors, change more often, depending on the type of regime

Regime and government aren’t necessarily related.

Question 4

Difference between state, regime and government

Answer 4

The state is what one rules, regime is how one rules, and government is the group of individuals who rule.

Question 5

Distinguish states

Answer 5

1. independent states
2. colonies/protectorates
3. failed states/ war states

Colonies/protectorates and failed/war states excluded from research/defining democracy because territory and who is in power is changing daily.

Question 6

distinguish independent states

Answer 6

1. electoral regimes
2. non-electoral regimes

Question 7

Distinguish electoral regimes

Answer 7

1. liberal democracies
2. electoral democracies
3. electoral authoritarian regimes

Liberal democracies have rule of law and fair elections, electoral democracies fair elections, electoral authoritarian regimes no fair elections and no rule of law.

Question 8

What do you do with states where the boundries stil contested, and so only a part of the country is contested, but the rest has a sort of a government?

Ukraine

Answer 8

The coding is based on the piece of country that is under government control

Question 9

Minimalist definition of democracy

Huntington definition

Answer 9

democracy is a political system in which the most powerful collective decision makers are selected through fair, honest and periodic elections in which candidates freely compete for votes and in which virtually all the adult population is eligible to vote

Focus just on one element of democracy

Hungtington 1991

Question 10

two-turnover test of democracy

Part of Hungtington minimalist procedural definition of democracy

Answer 10

if elections resulted in peaceful alternation of power twice = the rule of thumb to decide whether regimes made transitions to democracy

Question 11

Dahl’s expanded’ procedural definitons of democracy

electoral

Answer 11

electoral
1. elected officials
2. free and fair elections
3. inclusive suffrage
4. right to run for office, for partically all adults

1. Control over government decisions about policy is constitutionally vested in elected officials.
2. Elected officials are chosen in frequent and fairly conducted elections in which coercion is comparatively uncommon.

Question 12

Dahl’s expanded’ procedural definitons of democracy

non-electoral

Answer 12

Non electoral
5. freedom of expression
6. alternative information
7. Associational autonomy

Associational autonomy:”To achieve their various rights, including those listed earlier, citizens also have a right to form relatively independent associations or organizations, including independent political parties and interest groups.”

Question 13

smitter and karl addition to expanded definition of democracy by Dahl

1991

Answer 13

add that in real existing democracies:
1. there is an absence of reserved power domains
2. there is state sovereignty

1. (i.e.elected officials must be able to rule)
2. (i.e.the state must be formally and de facto independent)

Question 14

o’donnell’s addition to the extended defintion of democracy

Answer 14

rule of law, all citizens including the incumbent are subject to the rule of law

Question 15

substantive definitions of democracy

Answer 15

also include desirable outcomes, such as income equality

Question 16

Coppage et al.’s main point on defining democracy

Answer 16

There are different variations in democracy. Possibility of good elections, but no freedom. Essential to measure these concepts seperately.

Question 17

why either/or approach in defining democracy

minimalist definition

Answer 17

1. it’s simple, easier to define/code
2. you can pinpoint the moment countries become democratic or autocratic.

Question 18

Disadvantage of either/or approach

Answer 18

Good democracies can be ranked with “bad” ones.

Question 19

Why matter of degree approach in defining democracy

expanded/substantive approach

Answer 19

1. You can rank countries, a good democracy would be in the same one as a democracy that is of less quality if not.
2. Different dimensions of democracy can be highlighted.
3. You can also see if a country improves their democracy or if it worsens. You can better track a country’s progress.

Question 20

Disadvantages of matter of degree approach

Answer 20

1. Disadvantage could be with differences between countries that are not comparable.
2. You also don’t know when you pass the threshold of when you are a democracy, hybrid regime or autocracy.

1. for example is a country with no freedom of expression a worse democracy than one with no media freedom?

Question 21

elecotoral autocracy

Answer 21

no free media, elections are rigged and opposition in jail

Question 22

electoral democracy

Answer 22

do hold elections, governments get replaced, problems with checks and balances, problems with protection of minority (India)

Question 23

democratic transition

Answer 23

from authoritarian regime to more democratic

Question 24

democratic consolidation/stabilisation

Answer 24

throughout the 90’s

What explains that it stays a democracy, unlikely to revert back to authoritarianism and democracy seen as the only legitimate option

Question 25

democratic deepening

Answer 25

refers to processes of gradual improvement in the quality of democracy once a democracy is stable.