Liberal Democracy

Question 1

What are the dimensions of systems of governance?

Answer 1

• Who rules? Single person, by a minority, majority

- How is rule conducted? Lawful (in the common good) and Lawless (in the private interest)

Question 2

What is Monarchy?

Answer 2

• Rule by one

- Lawful (Constitutions)

Question 3

What is Aristocracy?

Answer 3

• Rule by few

- Lawful (in the common good)

Question 4

What is Polity?

Answer 4

• Rule by many (Constitutional democracy)

- Lawful

Question 5

What is Tyranny?

Answer 5

• Rule by one

- Lawless

Question 6

What is Oligarchy?

Answer 6

• Rule by few

- Lawless

Question 7

What is democracy?

Answer 7

• Rule by many
• Lawless (in the private interest)
• A system of government in which the majority rules without legal constraint

Question 8

What is Liberal Democracy?

Answer 8

• Plato and Aristotle called it “Polity”
• A system of government characterised by universal adult suffrage, political equality, majority rule and consitutionalism
• A system where the majority chooses the rules, and then the rulers govern within the rule of law

Question 9

What are the four principles of liberal democracy?

Answer 9

• Equality of Political Rights
• Majority Rule
• Political Pariticpation
• Political Freedom

Question 10

What is Equality of Political Rights?

Answer 10

• Principle of Liberal Democracy
• Every individual has the same right to:
  
  • Vote
  • Run for office
  • Jury duty
  • Speak on public issues
• Clearly a matter of degree:
  
  • Canadian women right to vote: 1918
  • Switzerland 1971

Question 11

What is Majority Rule?

Answer 11

• Principle of Liberal Democracy
• If each vote is counted equally, the decision of the majority must be accepted
• Majorities are 50% plus 1
  
  • Simple (50% plus 1)
  • Qualified (2/3, 3/5, 3/4)
• Plurality is the largest number of votes (but less than 50 per cent)

Question 12

What is Political Participation?

Answer 12

• Principle of Liberal Democracy
• Voting is the basis of all liberal democratic regimes\
• Direct election: referendum, initiative, recall
• Indirect election: Representative democracy

Question 13

What is Political Freedom?

Answer 13

• Principle of Liberal Democracy
• Legitimacy of opposition
  
  • Government
  • Newspapers
  • Street corners
• Right to speak out, criticise, form organisations, run for office

Question 14

What is the Consolidation of Democracy?

Answer 14

• Both winner and loses accept the electoral results and abide by the rules
• Democracy becomes the only game in town

Question 15

What is the link between economic development and democracy?

Answer 15

• Economic development favours the viability of democrary because it reduces income and social polarisation and lowers the intensity of redistributive conflicts
  
  • Democracy can be established in a poor country. But it is more likely to endure if the country experiences economic development
• Democracy favours economic development because:
  
  • The rule of law (protection of property rights, guarantees for contracts, effective administration, and independent judiciary)
  • It is more competent in the provision of public goods

Question 16

What is the link between democracy and peace?

Answer 16

• Democracies are less likely to fight each other and engage in wars than dictatorships
• Democracies fight only when they are confident of victory; while dictatorships are more inclined to engage in risky wars
• Almost all wars involve at least one dictatorial regime

Question 17

What are the problems with Liberal Democracy?

Answer 17

• Elite Rule
  
  • Oligarchy?
• Majority vs Minority Rights
• Publics vs Private Rights
  
  • Public: National defence, enformcent of law, low taxes
  • Private: interest of specific groups (students)
• Citizen Disengagement
• Unresponsive Government
• Old vs New politics
  
  • Old - Party Poltiics
  • New - Interests groups etc