Democratic and Non-Democratic Regimes

Question 1

Democracy

Answer 1

political system in which political power is excised either directly or indirectly by the people.

Question 2

Liberal democracy

Answer 2

political system that promotes participation, competition and liberty and emphasised individual freedom and civil right (different degrees).

Question 3

Origins of Democracy

Answer 3

1. Modernisation: better educated and more economically sophisticated societies –> need and desire to control the state to defend interests.
2. Elites: middle class with resources necessary to advance and demand their own rights.
3. Society: political power of society –> public demand power.
4. International relations: foreign investment, globalisation and trade + international pressure.
5. Culture: differences in societal norms and values.

Question 4

Civil society

Answer 4

organisation outside of the state that hall people define and advance their own interests.

Question 5

Executive

Answer 5

carries out the laws and polices of a state.

Question 6

Legislature

Answer 6

charged with making or passing legislation

Question 7

Judiciary

Answer 7

system of courts that adjudicates legal disputes/disagreements and interprets, defends and applies the law in legal cases.

Question 8

Rule of law

Answer 8

system in which all individuals and groups, including those in government, are subject to the law, irrespective of their power or authority.

Question 9

Parliamentary system

Answer 9

political system in which the roles of head of state and head of government are assigned two separate executive offices (PM is more powerful).
+ PM can get legislation passed + easily removed.
- PM is not directly selected by the public –> less power?

Question 10

Presidential system

Answer 10

political system in which the roles of head of state and head of government are combined in one executive office.
+ President directly elected with a national mandate.
- President and legislature controlled by different parties + president not easily removed.

Question 11

Semi presidential system

Answer 11

political system that divides the power between two strong executives (president is more powerful).
+ share of power and responsibility, public mandate and indirectly elected office.
- conflict between PM and president

Question 12

PR

Answer 12

political parties compete in multimember district (more that one seat is contested).
voters choose between parties
candidates are already selected by the parties.
the seats are awarded proportionally according to the result of the vote

Question 13

SMDP

Answer 13

individual candidates compete in single-member districts (each district is allowed a single seat)
voter chooses between candidates
candidate with the largest share of vote wins the seat

Question 14

Mixed electoral system

Answer 14

combination of PR and SMD
voters are given two votes, one for a candidate and the other for the party

Question 15

Nondemocratic regime

Answer 15

political regime that is controlled by a small group of individuals who exercise power over the state without being constitutionally responsible to the public.

Question 16

Totalitarianism

Answer 16

political system emerging when those in power profess a radical or reactionary political attitude that rejects the status quo and see revolutionary change as indispensable and violence as necessary toward a goal.

Question 17

Origins of non democratic rule

Answer 17

1. Modernisation = instability due to changes.
2. Elites = no share power because of fear of losing opportunities.
3. Society = no civil society due to lack of tradition or destroyed by those in power.
4. International relations = occupation + western imperialism.
5. Culture = non democratic values

Question 18

Populism

Answer 18

political view that emphasises hostility towards elites and established state and economic institutions and favours greater power in the hands of the public.

Question 19

Coercion

Answer 19

compelling individuals by threatening their lives or livelihoods.
Surveillance and secret police.

Question 20

Co-optation

Answer 20

process by which individuals outside an organisation are brought into a beneficial relationship with it, making them dependent on the regime for certain rewards.

Question 21

Corporatism

Answer 21

creation or sanction of organisations to represent the interests of the public and restrict those not set up or approved by the state.

Question 22

Clientelism

Answer 22

provision of specific benders or favours to a single person or a small groups in return for public support.

Question 23

Rent seeking

Answer 23

process in which political leaders rent out parts of the state to their patrons, who as a result control public goods that would otherwise be distributed in a non-political manner.

Question 24

Kleptocracy

Answer 24

those in power seek only to drain the state of assets and resources.

Question 25

Personal/monarchic rule

Answer 25

one person alone is fit to run the country, with no clear regime or roles to contain that person’s rule.

Question 26

Military rule

Answer 26

military intervene directly in policy to ensure stability where governments are struggling with legitimacy and dealing with public unrest and violence.

Question 27

One party rule

Answer 27

a single political party monopolies politics and bans other parties or excludes them from power.

Question 28

Theocracy

Answer 28

founded on faith

Question 29

Illiberal/Hybrid regimes

Answer 29

although election take place, citizens are cut off from knowledge about the activities of those who exercise real power because of the lack of civil liberties.