Lesson 5 Flashcards
Interest groups and democracy
What is democracy?
- Rule by the people
- A form of government offering a workable solution to the fundamental political problem of reaching collective decisions by peaceful means
What are the types of democracy?
- Direct democracy
- Indirect democracy (Representative democracy)
- Participatory democracy
Definition of direct democracy?
- In a direct democracy, citizens themselves directly make decisions on laws, policies, and other important matters, rather than electing representatives to do so.
- Examples include referendums and initiatives, where citizens vote directly on specific issues or laws.
Definition of indirect democracy?
- In an indirect democracy, citizens elect representatives (such as lawmakers or officials) to make decisions on their behalf.
- These elected officials are expected to represent the views and interests of the people but ultimately have the power to make laws, policies, and other decisions.
- It is more practical in large, complex societies where direct participation by all citizens in every decision would be unfeasible.
What is classical democracy?
- Began in Athens
- Direct participation
- Citizenship is based on an elite statues
- Meet in the assembly
What is the definition of participatory democracy?
- Participatory democracy is a process of collective decision making that combines elements from both direct and representative democracy.
- Citizens have the power to decide on policy proposals and politicians assume the role of policy implementation.
Another definition of participatory democracy
- Participatory democracy is a form of government in which the citizens themselves have the opportunity to make decisions about public policy.
- Participatory democracy, like its close relative, direct democracy, seeks to promote a form of self-determination or self-rule in which individuals actively make the decisions that determine how they are to be governed.
What is the role of citizens in participatory democracy?
It gives citizens a central role in the making of particular decisions through, for example, public discussion, negotiation, and voting. Indeed, some participatory democrats argue that citizens have an obligation to participate.
What do participatory democrats emphasize on?
When participatory democrats assign a role to the state, they often emphasize the importance of educating citizens and providing for a form of communication which promotes political dialogue.
Why participatory democracy?
- First, as a principled understanding based on the idea that participation in itself is in line with fundamental democratic principles, in particular equal representation.
- Secondly, and as a functional understanding focusing on the outcome of social participation both in terms of good governance and efficiency.
- Leads to associative democracy
What are the benefits of participative democracy?
- The first is the educative function: citizens may increase their civic skills and become more competent if they participate in public decision-making.
- A second its leads to integrative function. Participation contributes to citizens’ feeling of being are public citizens, part of their community. As a consequence, they may also feel more responsible personally for public decisions.
- Thirdly, participatory democracy contributes to a greater legitimacy of decisions.
What is political representation?
- Hanna Pitkin (1967) defines representation as to “make present again”.
- Political representation is the activity of making citizens’ voice, opinions, and perspectives “present” in public making processes.
When does political representation occur?
Political representation occurs when political actors speak, advocate, symbolize, and act on the behalf of others in the political arena.
What are the four types of representation according to Hanna Pitkin Typology of Representation?
- Formalistic
- Symbolic
- Descriptive
- Substantive
What is the definition of formalistic representation?
The institutional arrangements that precede and initiate representation. Formal representation has two dimensions: 1.Authorization and 2. Accountability.
What is the definition of symbolic representation?
The way that a representative “stands for” the represented - that is, the meaning that a representative has for those being represented.
What is the definition of descriptive representation?
The extent to which a representative resembles those being represented.
What is the definition of substantive representation?
The activity of representatives - that, the actions taken on behalf of, in the interest of, as an agent of, and as substitute for the represented.
What is the definition of Interest groups?
- Interest groups constitute critical mediating institutions linking citizens and political elites, thereby enhancing participation and representation at all levels of government.
- Groups are also seen as able to supplement the deficiencies of majoritarian institutions of representative democracy
What are the two direct democracy instruments that interest groups use to influence policy-making?
- Initiative
- Referendum
What is the definition of initiative?
- Initiative allows groups of citizens to propose a constitutional amendment or a legislative measure.
- Initiative allows groups to put a new policy issue on the political agenda
- The initiative promoters need to fill a petition bearing a required number of valid citizen signatures.
What is the definition of a referendum?
- Referendum allows voters to ratify or reject a constitutional provision or a law that has been initiated and accepted by the government and the legislature.
- Referendum, therefore, enables groups to veto a policy adopted by the legislature
How are initiative or referendum process different from legislative law-making, regulatory rule-making, or judiciary litigation?
It requires persuading a majority of voters to support (or oppose) the proposed policy rather than lobbying elected representatives, delivering policy expertise to administrative agencies, or filing lawsuits and co-signing amicus briefs. It thus offers an additional decision-making venue to access the policy process and to influence policy outputs directly
What are the advantages of interest groups in a democracy in general?
- Interest groups have the potential to act as a transmission belt between the public and the political system,
- Provide all groups with an opportunity to win support for their ideas and positions
- Joining groups and working for the interests of the group is a natural inclination of citizens and should be encouraged
- The system is fair in that it gives all groups an equitable opportunity to compete
What are the advantages of interest groups in a democracy in a direct democracy?
- Direct democracy offers interest groups a new decision-making venue to access the policymaking process and influence policy outputs
- Direct democratic institutions alleviate collective action problems, particularly for citizen groups, and thus lead to more representative interest group populations.
- Direct democracy restructures the policy process. Interest groups in general and citizen groups in particular are more closely associated with the establishment of public policies in the administrative and legislative venues
What are the advantages of interest groups in a democracy under initiative and referendum process?
- Under the initiative process, interest groups, acting as policy entrepreneurs, may bypass the government and the legislature to set the political agenda.
- Under the referendum process, they can put into question a policy decided by elected representatives, thus becoming veto players.
- Both the initiative and referendum processes eventually grant agenda setting and veto power to the voting public
What are the disadvantages of interest Groups in a Democracy?
- Unfair because groups supported by the wealthy have far greater resources to promote their interests
- Promotes advancement of interests that don’t always strive for the common good, i.e., large, profit-conscious corporations
- Too many groups slow policy making to a state of gridlock
- Interest group leaders are not elected, thus interest group dominance of the system is an affront to democracy
- Groups concentrate benefits for the few while distributing costs to the many
