Lecture 7: Power-sharing vs Power-concentrating Institutions Flashcards
What are the causes of democratization?
Long-term, mid-term, and short-term causes.
What does a constitution do?
It establishes governmental institutions (legislature, executive, judiciary) and grants them power to make, apply, enforce, and interpret laws.
(Stone-Sweet, p.160)
What key decisions does a constitution make?
Defines citizenship, rights, access to power, institutional powers, separation of powers, and how the constitution can be changed.
Why are constitutions important?
They enable self-governance, constrain state abuse, embody political ideals, maintain collective identity, and temporarily resolve conflicts.
What is the ‘frozen conflict’ function of constitutions?
Constitutions are created in moments of historical compromise, often after civil wars or revolutions, and freeze identities or agreements in time.
Why have most new constitutions been made since 1950?
Due to the second and third waves of democratization, newly independent countries, and the need to replace authoritarian constitutions post-transition.
What is an example of a successful new constitution?
South Africa.
What is an example of a failed new constitution?
Egypt (collapse) and Chile (rejected constitution).
What factors shape constitution-making?
Balancing political & economic interests, institutional learning, and the experiences of those drafting the constitution.
How do constitutions change over time?
Large changes occur early, but over time, constitutions become fixed and function as constraints within which politics operates.
How do authoritarian constitutions differ?
They also stabilize over time but continue to change more frequently than democratic constitutions.
Why is it risky to change a constitution?
Opening one part for revision might lead to broader, unintended changes. Instead, countries prefer gradual amendments (institutional creep).
Can a constitution create conflict?
Yes, if it excludes groups, reinforces divisions, or legitimizes authoritarian rule.
How can constitutions support democratization?
They create stability, limit authoritarian power, set term limits, and establish institutional checks and balances.
Why do political scientists care about constitutions?
They define a country’s power structure and influence democratization. Scholars like Lijphart advise new democracies on constitutional design.
How do constitutions affect power-sharing or power-concentration?
They determine whether a country has institutions that share power across groups or concentrate it in a central authority.
What are power-sharing institutions?
Institutions that distribute power across different actors, often used in divided societies to ensure inclusivity and stability.
What are power-concentrating institutions?
Institutions that centralize decision-making authority, which can create efficiency but may limit representation.
What is vertical power-sharing?
The division of power between different levels of government: national, regional, and local.
What is horizontal power-sharing?
The division of power among different branches of government: legislative, executive, and judiciary.
What is the difference between consensus and majoritarian democracies?
Consensus democracies share power across groups, while majoritarian democracies allow the majority to rule with limited checks.
What are the 10 institutional features in Lijphart’s model?
They determine whether a democracy is power-sharing (consensus) or power-concentrating (majoritarian).
What is the purpose of power-sharing in divided societies?
It allows democracy to function even when society is fragmented by ethnicity, religion, or ideology.
How does vertical power-sharing work?
It divides power between territorial units: local, regional, and national governments.
Why is decentralization good for democratization?
It brings governance closer to the people, allows self-rule for minorities, increases efficiency, and fosters local solutions.
Why is decentralization bad for democratization?
It can create dual legitimacy conflicts, reduce efficiency due to a lack of economies of scale, enable separatism, and lead to inequality in laws and services.
Why is the practical use of power-sharing more important than legal rules?
Even if laws guarantee power-sharing, real decision-making depends on political culture, informal practices, and bureaucratic capacity.
How does horizontal power-sharing work?
It divides government into the executive, legislative, and judiciary, with each branch checking and balancing the others.
What are the benefits of horizontal power-sharing?
It prevents authoritarianism, distributes decision-making, and creates institutional stability.
What are the risks of horizontal power-sharing?
It can slow down decision-making, lead to gridlock, and make governance inefficient.
What is an electoral system?
The system by which votes are translated into political representation (seats).
What are the three main families of electoral systems?
- Plurality/Majority (First Past the Post, Winner Takes All). 2. Proportional Representation (PR). 3. Mixed Systems.
What are examples of plurality electoral systems?
First Past the Post (UK), Majority Run-off (France), Alternative Vote (Ireland, Australia).
What are examples of proportional electoral systems?
PR (Netherlands, Turkey).
How does district magnitude affect proportionality?
Larger districts (more seats) make PR more proportional; smaller districts (fewer seats) make plurality systems more proportional.
What is electoral disproportionality?
When the percentage of votes does not match the percentage of seats a party receives (measured by the Gallagher Index).
What are electoral tiers?
Additional levels in an electoral system that correct distortions, such as second or third-tier seats.
What are electoral thresholds?
The minimum percentage of votes a party needs to enter parliament (e.g., Netherlands has no threshold, Turkey has 10%).
How does the choice of an electoral system affect democratization?
It influences representation, party competition, stability, and minority inclusion.
What are the psychological and mechanical effects of electoral systems?
Psychological effect: Voters avoid wasting votes and vote strategically. Mechanical effect: Small parties struggle in plurality systems but succeed in PR.
Is proportional representation (PR) always good?
Not necessarily. While PR increases representation, it can lead to fragmented parliaments, weak governments, and instability.
Why might an electoral system be designed to be simple?
Simplicity increases voter understanding, participation, and trust in the system.
Why is minority overrepresentation sometimes justifiable?
To protect marginalized groups and ensure their political inclusion (e.g., Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina).
How can electoral systems balance local and group representation?
Through bicameral systems (two chambers) or federalism.
What are the benefits of power division for democratization?
It prevents authoritarianism, increases representation, and creates stable institutions.
What are the pitfalls of power division for democratization?
It can lead to inefficiency, slow decision-making, and institutional deadlock.
What is institutional experimentation in new democracies?
New democracies frequently adjust institutions as they develop, trying different models to find stability.
Why do informal institutions matter?
How institutions function in practice (informal rules) often matters more than formal laws.
