CHP 6: Democracy and Democratization Flashcards
what is the one of the most fundamental concepts in poltics?
Democracy
* rule by the people
* right/liberities for citizens
* political rights
* many definitions
the most common accepted definitions of democracy include these aspects
- civil rights/liberties
- political rights
Procedural definitions of democracy in detail.
- what makes a country democratic is that it follows these prodedures/rules/conditions
- not a lot of depth to this definiton
- they include the political rights and civil liberties/rights
*
What are the political rights a procedural definition entails?
- elections are free/fair/competitve/reoccuring (most people can participate)
- multiple parties (choice)
- any one can run
- related to electoral process
what are the civil rights/liberties a procedural definition entails?
- the main freedoms
- speech/expression
- access to information/press
- to assemble and protest
- civic life outside of elections
- if these are violated they can push for policy change/law change
What was a recent addition to procedural definitions?
- democracy is not overruled by colonial or outside power
- clear distinction between civilian and military rules
Substantive definition of democracy in detail?
- more towards the democratic depth/quality
- beyond just the rules/procedures
- adds the important aspect of certain outcomes
- argue that a country can go past just democratization
what does a democratic regime include?
- democratic institutions
- democratic rules and structures
opposite for authoritarian regime
What are some elements of a substantive democracy defintion?
- participation/social inclusion in civil society involvement
- equality/equity in gender/race etc
- accountability (lack of corruption) and institutional performance
- public knowledge/awareness
- poverty,inequality,economic outcomes
countries can always make progress in democracy
political/economic/civil inequality along lines of ethinicity/race/gender can point to
the levels of democratic depth or quality of a democracy
difference between civil rights and civil liberties?
civil rights are the basic rights to protect equal/safe access to things like public services, and civil liberties
civil liberties are freedoms of the people in a democracy (freedom of speech etc)
What are some more aspects of a representative democracy
- elected representatives vote on behalf of people
- constitutional rights limit power of government and political majority so those who lose are not alienated
- US = CR
- UK = CM
What are some more aspects of a direct democracy?
- use of referendum (popular vote on issues, democracy closer to the people, citizen assemblies)
- sometimes favor representative democratic institutions (seen as complementary)
- some worry that collective decisions do not represent minority groups
Some more aspects to democratic transitions?
- can be a slow OR rapid process
- different for every area
- diverse in their causes/impacts
- some can be gradual or revolutionary
More aspects of democratic consolidation?
- longer term process
- seen as process by which democracy and its political/civil rights become habitual for citizens
- happening only when democracy is happening however
What are some challenges/setbacks of consolidation?
- it is never a smooth transition (transitioning to free/fair election comes with difficulties)
- failure to consolidate can lead to populism
Democratic Consolidation
What is populism?
highly exlusive identification with ‘the people’ at the expense of institution/groups that are perceived as ‘foreign’
* leaves those who are historically margnialized vulnerable
describe each theory for democratization
**Modernization theory **
- economic development increases likelihood of democratization
- development of middle class and more literate population (only societies with modernization can strike balance between classes)
- democracies became more stable when they were relatively wealthy
- no modernization = no democratic push
- supports endurance of democracy
India = largest democracy but lack modernization can point to their lack of success in democratization (much of country is still poor)
describe each theory for democratization
Cultural theories
- political culture shapes the possibilities for democracy and democratization
- some political cultures increase the possibility of the establishment and persistence of authoritarian regimes
- some cultural variables predisspose countries to democracy and prevent others from it
Asian values - prefer social relations over individualims, comfortable with respect to authority, democracy is secondary to ideas of order, so = less conducive to democracy
describe each theory for democratization
Systemic/structural theories
- situate countries on international level
- major powers/global trends predict democracy emergence
- international environment
- structural - certain ways of organziing polticis have cultural influence globally
describe each theory for democratization
Domestic institutional theories
- success of democracy depends on forms of political institutions in a country
- dysfunctional political institutions undermine a regime
institutional design!
describe each theory for democratization
Agency-based theories
individual actors/actions or small groups are drivers of regime change
