2. measuring democracy + patterns 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 + deliver basic public services
   - generate resources to maintain public services and state institutions
3. So; territory + insititutions are relatively stable over time

Question 2

Ideally, states:

Answer 2

• Guarantee a minimum level of security for citizens
• implement policies + deliver basic public services
• generate resources to maintain public services and state institutions

Question 3

What are regimes?

Answer 3

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

Political regimes can stay the same, but people in power can be different

Question 4

What are governments

Answer 4

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

Regime & government are not necessarily related

Question 5

Difference between state, regime, government

Answer 5

The state –> what one rules
Regimes –> How one rules
Government –> group/ individuals who rules

Question 6

Distinguish states

Answer 6

1. Independent states
2. Colonies/ protectorates
3. Failed states/ war states

2/3 both excluded from research defining democracy: due that territory and person in power changes daily

Question 7

Distinguish independent states

Answer 7

1. Electoral regimes
2. Non-electoral regimes

Question 8

Electoral regimes

Answer 8

1. Liberal democracies : rule of law + fair elections
2. Electoral democracies: fair elections
3. Electoral Authoritarian regimes: no rule of law/ fair elections

Question 9

What do researches when they deal with states where boundaries are still contested and only a part is disputed, but the rest has an established government?

Answer 9

The coding of data is baed on piece of country that is under governmental control

Question 10

Minimalist definition of Democracy: Huntington definition

Answer 10

Huntington defintion:
‘’ 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 (1997)

–> focuses is just on one element of democracy

Question 11

Two-turnover test of Democracy

part of HUngtington minimalist procedural defintion of democracy

Answer 11

If elections resulted in peaceful alternation of power twice
(rule of thumb to decide whether regimes made transitions to democracy.