Liberal Democracy Flashcards
1
Q
What are the dimensions of systems of governance?
A
- Who rules? Single person, by a minority, majority
- How is rule conducted? Lawful (in the common good) and Lawless (in the private interest)
2
Q
What is Monarchy?
A
- Rule by one
- Lawful (Constitutions)
3
Q
What is Aristocracy?
A
- Rule by few
- Lawful (in the common good)
4
Q
What is Polity?
A
- Rule by many (Constitutional democracy)
- Lawful
5
Q
What is Tyranny?
A
- Rule by one
- Lawless
6
Q
What is Oligarchy?
A
- Rule by few
- Lawless
7
Q
What is democracy?
A
- Rule by many
- Lawless (in the private interest)
- A system of government in which the majority rules without legal constraint
8
Q
What is Liberal Democracy?
A
- 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
9
Q
What are the four principles of liberal democracy?
A
- Equality of Political Rights
- Majority Rule
- Political Pariticpation
- Political Freedom
10
Q
What is Equality of Political Rights?
A
- 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
11
Q
What is Majority Rule?
A
- 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)
12
Q
What is Political Participation?
A
- Principle of Liberal Democracy
- Voting is the basis of all liberal democratic regimes\
- Direct election: referendum, initiative, recall
- Indirect election: Representative democracy
13
Q
What is Political Freedom?
A
- Principle of Liberal Democracy
- Legitimacy of opposition
- Government
- Newspapers
- Street corners
- Right to speak out, criticise, form organisations, run for office
14
Q
What is the Consolidation of Democracy?
A
- Both winner and loses accept the electoral results and abide by the rules
- Democracy becomes the only game in town
15
Q
What is the link between economic development and democracy?
A
- 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
