Lecture 9: Political actors – Parties & Media Flashcards
What are the key causes of democratization?
1) Long-term structural factors (economic development, social changes),
2) Mid-term institutional factors (electoral systems, party systems),
3) Short-term political actors (elites, opposition, mass protests), and
4) International influences.
What is the difference between power-sharing and power-concentration systems?
- Power-sharing: More inclusive but less decisive (e.g., proportional representation, coalition governments).
- Power-concentration: More decisive but less inclusive (e.g., majoritarian rule).
Each has advantages and risks.
How do political parties affect democratic transitions?
Parties mediate between elites and the public. In transitions, the division between hard-liners and moderates (both in opposition and ruling elites) influences whether transitions are negotiated or violent.
(O’Donnell, Schmitter & Whitehead, 1986)
What are authoritarian successor parties?
Parties that evolved from former authoritarian regimes and continue to influence democratic politics.
Examples: PRI in Mexico, KMT in Taiwan. (Loxton & Levitsky, 2018)
Why are political parties essential in representative democracies?
They connect citizens to government, provide accountability, structure choices for voters, integrate multiple policy preferences, and facilitate coalition-building.
What are the four main types of party linkages to society?
1) Ideological/programmatic (policy-driven, e.g., Social Democrats).
2) Clientelist (exchange of material benefits, e.g., Peronist Party in Argentina).
3) Personalist (around an individual leader, e.g., Bolsonaro’s party).
4) Ethnic/nationalist (mobilizing based on identity, e.g., BJP in India).
How does party organization affect democratization?
Strongly institutionalized parties with local offices, civil society links, and internal democracy help consolidate democracy. Weakly institutionalized or highly personalist parties increase risks of instability.
What happens when political parties do not see democracy as ‘the only game in town’?
When parties question democracy itself, they often undermine pluralism, demonize opponents, encourage political violence, and erode democratic norms.
(V-Party Dataset, 2021)
What is Sartori’s typology of party systems?
Party systems are classified based on fragmentation (number of parties) and polarization (ideological distance).
(Sartori, 1976, 1990)
What are the two types of party competition?
1) Centripetal competition (parties move toward the center, fostering stability). 2) Centrifugal competition (parties move toward extremes, increasing polarization and instability).
What is party system institutionalization?
The stability of inter-party competition, legitimacy of the party system, party roots in society, and strength of party organizations. Highly institutionalized systems promote democratic consolidation.
(Mainwaring & Torcal, 2006)
How does polarization affect democratization?
Extreme polarization can cause instability and democratic backsliding, but too little polarization can lead to depoliticization and stagnation.
Example: Venezuela before Chávez.
What are the consequences of party system breakdown?
Can lead to populist or anti-establishment leaders (e.g., Fujimori in Peru, Chávez in Venezuela), democratic collapse, or political realignments.
How does media support democracy?
1) Provides factual information and transparency. 2) Ensures plurality of opinions. 3) Acts as a watchdog against government abuses.
(Tucker et al., 2017)
What are the two media models?
1) Public service model: Information as a public good, state-funded, aims for balanced reporting (e.g., BBC). 2) Market model: Information as a product, driven by commercial interests, risks media monopolization (e.g., Fox News).
How does media influence democratic transitions?
Authoritarian media stabilizes regimes by censoring critics and promoting state legitimacy. Pro-democracy media supports transitions by spreading democratic values and mobilizing protests.
(Tucker et al., 2017)
How does media influence democratic consolidation?
Ensures government accountability, educates citizens, and moderates political discourse. However, social media can contribute to fake news and polarization.
(Tucker et al., 2017)
How does media contribute to democratic backsliding?
1) Government capture of media. 2) Anti-system actors using social media for mobilization. 3) Fake news and polarization increasing distrust.
How do authoritarian regimes manipulate social media?
1) Censorship: Blocking critical voices (e.g., China’s Great Firewall). 2) Friction: Slowing internet speeds or shutting it down (e.g., India). 3) Flooding: Spreading misinformation via bots and propaganda (e.g., Russian disinformation in Ukraine).
(Tucker et al., 2017)
What role does media play in democracy?
Media provides factual information, offers a diversity of opinions, and serves as a watchdog against government abuses. These functions help create a shared public understanding and ensure accountability.
(Tucker et al., 2017)
What role does media play in democracy?
Media provides factual information, offers a diversity of opinions, and serves as a watchdog against government abuses. These functions help create a shared public understanding and ensure accountability.
(Tucker et al., 2017)
What are the two main media system models?
1) Public service model – Information as a public good, with public funding and content regulation. 2) Market model – Information as a product, focusing on competition and market-driven content regulation.
How does media affect democratic transitions?
State-controlled media can stabilize authoritarian rule by censoring critics and legitimizing the government. However, pro-democracy media can mobilize people and expose government failures. Social media can serve as a mobilization tool and a space for critical discourse.
(Tucker et al., 2017)
How does media affect democratic consolidation?
Media strengthens democracy by educating citizens, holding governments accountable, and moderating public discourse. However, social media can also spread misinformation and polarize societies.
(Tucker et al., 2017)
How can media contribute to democratic backsliding?
When governments capture media, they can control public narratives and suppress dissent. Social media can also be used by anti-system actors to spread misinformation and mobilize against democracy.
Examples include Russian disinformation campaigns and media suppression in Hungary. (Tucker et al., 2017)
How do authoritarian regimes manipulate social media?
1) Censorship – Arresting activists, online monitoring. 2) Friction – Blocking platforms, internet shutdowns. 3) Flooding – Spreading misinformation and using bots to drown out dissent.
