Democracy Flashcards
Explain the difference between a Maximalist and minimalist definition of democracy
Maximalist- Contestation- concerned with the procedures (free press, association, form political parties) And, Inclusion which is who gets to participate in poltics. If all adults get high ranking.
Minimalist- just need elections. It doesn’t matter if they are free & fair
What is Robert Dhal’s theory on democracy?
1971
Procedural democracy
A poliarchy (power is invested in multiple people) has
Freedom of association
Freedom of expression & information
Universal suffrage
Right to stand as candidates
Free & fair elections
Gov policies depend on election results
What is Larry Diamond’s theory of democracy?
1999
Substansive defintion
Free and fair elections, active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic lif, protection of the human rights of all citizens, a rule of law, in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens
Explain Seymour M. Lipset theory on democratization
Economic theory (1959)
The more well-to-do a nation, the greater the chances that is will sustain democracy. A larger middle class tempers connflict by rewarding moderare and democratic parties and penalizing extremist groups
Explain the modernization theory (Przeworski)
1997
Economic development leads to democracy. All countries must go through the same stages of economic development.
Go from traditonal society to a modern. See a reduction in agriculture sector, large industry & service sector, universal education, large urban middle class. Countries would mature
Although countries could jump stages by copying and learning from those ahead e.g. Soviet Union fast advancement in the 20th century
Hypthesis is that democracy will be more common in welathier countries and dictatorships to be less likley as wealth increases
How accurate is the modernization theory?
Somewhat consistent. Very poor countries have remained as dictatorships while rich are vice-versa.
Democratic surivial- very poor countries transition a lot typically to dictatorships. Rich countries transition to democracies.
However, rich countries that are dictatorships are also stable (Sauid Arabia- oil/gold)
Explain the redistribution theory
High inequality creates demands leading to democracy. However, high inequality will also push wealthy people to want to keep power.
Explain the cultural modernization theory
Predicts that socioeconomic development doesn’t directly cause democracy; instead, economic development produces certain cultural changes, such as the emergence of a civic culture, and it is these changes that produce democratic reform
Explain Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba’s theory of democratization (1963)
Civic culture- acceptance of the authority of the state” and “a belief in participation in civic duties
A shared cluster of attitudes that are thought to promote democracy and democratic performance
Explain Samuel Huntington’s theory of democratization (1996)
Some cultures especially Islamic are not as suited as they don’t have views that are compatible with democracy. Civic culture doesn’t matter.
However, some of the most democratic countries (Indonesia) are islamic
Evidence of the cultural theory
Islamic nations are poorer and more likley to adopt surivial value but when they get richer they care about this less instead civic norms
Catholics are most likley to have democracy muslims are the least
Account for what
countries are depdenent
on (oil- bad for
democracy)
Little correlation between
relgion and the insitutions
Explain the Daron Acemoglu’s and James Robinsons theory of ineuqality affects democratisation (2006)?
Strategic bargain
Elites want to prevent revolution and can do so by making credible commitments to pro-majority policies. However, promises of this within some political systems are not credible.
To make a credible commitment one must transfer power to the majority which is what democratisation achieves.
However, differences in policy preferences between rich and poor depednd on inequalities within society. Within high inequality there’s greater differences compared to low. e.g. taxes
Explain the dictatorship bargain
The elite promises redistrbituion to the poor. This leads to the poor deciding on whether to revolt dpending on if it’s a credible offer.
Or the elite represses the poor to avoid revolt. However, they can still revolt.
Explain how dictatorship bargains breakdown?
Incomplete information: The poor or the rich might not know each
other’s preferences or the size of the budget.
Incredible promises: A policy promise made today may no longer be
credible in the future.
Democracy solves the issue by giving the poor control over the fiscal policy
