Authoritarian vs. Democratic

Question 1

Democratization

Answer 1

The process by which states build the institutions and processes needed to become stable democracies.

Question 2

Features of Democratic Rule

Answer 2

fair and equal representatives, multiple diverse parties, protection of voting rights of indviduals, fair and equal political party competition, limits on the power of governments rights of the citizen protected by separate judiciary

Question 3

Features of a state

Answer 3

Government, population, legitimacy, territory, sovereignty

Question 4

Direct Democracy

Answer 4

system of government where all members of the community all take part in the decisions that affect them as a community (athenian democracy)
Criticism: Exclusive, low turnout, time-consuming, expensive, lack of permenent bureaucracy or coherent policy

Question 5

Representative Democracy

Answer 5

system of government in whcih members of community elect people to represent their interests in making decisions for the community
Criticism: have many anti-egalitarian mechanisms, lower level of mental preformance, primitive

Question 6

Liberal Democracy

Answer 6

A form of indirect democracy in which the scope of democracy is limited by constitutional protection of individual rights (associated with limited government, liberalism, civil liberties

Question 7

Type of decision making rules: Concurrent Majority

Answer 7

More than one majority required

Question 8

Type of decison making rule: Simple majority

Answer 8

More than half of those voting

Question 9

Type of decision making rule: qualified majority

Answer 9

More than a simple majority usually two thirds

Question 10

Type of decision making rule: Blocking minority

Answer 10

A minority is able to prevent a proposal from passing

Question 11

Weighted Majority

Answer 11

A majority after adjusting votes for differences in voting power (e.g. shareholder votes)

Question 12

Democratization 4 stages

Answer 12

Liberalization, Transition, Consolidation, Deepening

Question 13

Features of Authoritarian Rule

Answer 13

1. Poor rep. government and elections
2. Weak political institutions and processes- centralization of power in hands of leader/elites
3. Limited selection of political parties and rep
4. Low opposition
5. Limited/controlled media

Question 14

Authoritarian Regime

Answer 14

based on submission, characterized by ruling elites, limited political pluralism, centralized political power, etc.

Question 15

Hybrid Regimes

Answer 15

Systems which have appearances of being democratic, but institutions, processes, laws and policies are manipulated by rulers/ elite groups

Question 16

Forms of authoritarian rule

Answer 16

Absolute monarchy ( Saudi Arabia, UAE), personal rule( former soviet republics, sub-saharan african states), ruling parties(Many african states), military governments(Less common today maybe myanmar), theocracy( rule of religious leaders) (Iran)

Question 17

Totalitarianism

Answer 17

absolute form of authoritarian rule, total control exercised by leader, state, or party over all aspects of public and personal life ( Stalins USSR, North Korea)