chapter 6 - democracy and democratization Flashcards
democracy
a form of regime associated w/ “rule by the people” that signifies rights and liberties for citizens, including political rights to participate in elections + civil liberties such as freedom of speech
political rights
rights of individuals to participate in social life, including the right to political speech, the right to vote, and the right to join political associations
civil rights
rights of individuals to participate in civic life, including freedoms of assembly, speech, access to information, and equal access to institutions, among others
regime
a form of governmental system, with an emphasis on institutions and rules
democratic regime
a regime w/ primarily democratic institutions, including basic civil rights + regular, free elections
procedural definition of democracy
a conception of democracy that emphasizes the minimal standards, procedures, or rules that a country should have in place to govern political life
substantive definition of democracy
a conception of democracy that views a polity’s democratic status as dependent on the satisfaction of certain substantive ends, such as the extension of broad rights or the reduction of income inequality
regime type
the form of a political regime, such as democratic vs. authoritarian, as well as subtypes, like personalistic dictatorship or totalitarian regimes
democratization
the process of a regime becoming more democratic, including the democratic transition and democratic consolidation
democratic breakdown
the process through which a democratic regime partially or completely loses its democratic status
transition
movement from an authoritarian regime to a democratic one
consolidation
process thru which new democratic order becomes institutionalized
What are the 2 types of democracy?
representative democracy + direct democracy
representative democracy
a conception of democracy in which politicians and institutions are understood to represent the electorate, who nevertheless can constrain their behavior thru periodic elections + other forms of representation
constitutional republic
a polity without a monarch in which the basic rules and policies are laid out in the constitution
constitutional monarchy
a political system in which a monarch plays a role as a head of state, but has powers limited by the constitution
direct democracy
a conception of democracy that places great emphasis on direct citizen involvement in politics, especially involving plebiscites and/or citizen assemblies
referenda
a popular vote on a specific issue
democratic transitions
the process through which a non-democratic regime becomes democratic
democratic consolidation
the process thru which, after a transition from authoritarianism, a polity strengthens its democracy
modernization theory
a theory that traces democracy to broad social changes, especially economic development and the changes that accompany it
What do the cultural theories of democratization state?
these theories link or attribute democratization/consolidation to variables within a culture that may lend some countries to having a democracy or hinder/prevent having a democracy in other countries
What do systemic and structural theories of democratization state?
these theories say democratization is less caused by things happening w/in a given society but rather a function of operational factors at the international system
What do democratic institutional theories state?
these theories say the success of democracy is dependent on the form of political institutions, like party systems + interest groups
