Political Regimes Flashcards
Explain the idea of Plato’s ‘ship of fools’. What does Plato suggest as a remedy to this?
The ship of fools revolves around the idea that giving people the vote over who should ‘captain’ a ship means they will not elect the most competent, but the most popular. Instead, a Leviathan-type figure is needed, to govern strongly with people’s best interests at heart.
Why did Aristotle fear completely open democracy?
Aristotle feared completely open democracy as it would place the poor in a majority and allow them to dominate decision-making. Meaning that mob rule would develop.
Describe elements as part of Robert Dahl’s procedural definition for democracy (based around freedoms)
- freedom to join organisations
- freedom of expression
- right to vote
- everyone eligible for public office
- right of leaders to compete for votes
- alternative sources of information exist
- free and fair elections
- institutions for making policy are chosen by the people, in order to serve the interests of the people
Describe the alternative procedural definition of democracy presented by Przeworski, Alvarez, Cheibub and Limongi (focussing more on electoral process/features)
- elected chief executive (therefore the UK does not classify as democracy)
- legislature is elected (again, with unelected upper house, UK does not classify as democracy)
- more than one party competing in elections
- an alteration of power must occur under identical electoral rules to how previous government came to power
Explain Freedom House’s approach to defining a democracy. How do they go about measuring this?
Freedom House argue that democratic procedures and constitutional measures are insignificant… instead, outcomes and freedoms that people have in practice are vital to define a democracy.
Observes political rights and civil rights available to citizens.
Explain Samuel Huntingdon’s theory of waves of democratisation
Democracy advances and retreats in waves:
- 1st wave sees expansion of democracy in Europe and settler colonies
- 1st reverse wave sees fascism and collapse of many European democracies
- 2nd wave sees restoration of EUR democracies, expansion to Japan, Latin America, India
- 2nd reverse wave sees breakdowns in Latin America, Africa, Asia, etc.
- 3rd wave sees democratisation of MED EUR, Latin America, East Europe, Asia, Africa
How are we potentially seeing a reverse 3rd wave of democracy today?
A 3rd reverse wave is arguably occurring today with democratic backsliding in India, Hungary and Slovakia.
Explain reasons why economics supposedly causes the proliferation of democracies
Economics supposedly creates new democracies as a growing middle class through economic development means there is more demand for a say in governance. Middle classes vote for moderates that favour democracy, meaning it is sustained.
What is Lipset’s explanation of the relationship between economic prosperity and democracy?
The better off a nation is, the greater the chance it will sustain democracy (Lipset, 1960)
Explain modernisation theory - how does this link to democracy?
Modernisation theory explains that as an agricultural economy with low education becomes an advanced economy, with high education and a middle class, this breeds democracy.
Explain the 2 main hypotheses that explains why richer countries become democracies
- H1 - Democracy is more common in rich countries than poor ones
- H2 - backsliding becomes less likely in richer, more prosperous countries
What explains why India is a democracy despite its relative poverty? What caveat is there to this?
India is believed to have remained democratic despite its relative poverty as due to post-colonial institutions, political culture, fragmentation of government and SIZE, it has become hard for democracy to waver here.
However, India is arguably now experiencing democratic backsliding under Modi.
What explains why the Arab World has not converted to democracy despite having economically developed?
In the Arab world, there is little need for democracy, as economic development, innovation and enterprise sustains autocratic regimes amidst wealthy conditions. Government not reliant on tax base, essentially they can be bought off/guaranteed certain things without needing to tax population, which would require democratic accountability
Explain why authoritarian, wealthy states can avoid democratisation through coercion?
Highly repressive states can spend far more on law enforcement, which means that these regimes are incredibly resistant to protest and dissent. They can coerce a population into accepting authoritarianism.
What is a rentier state?
A rentier state is a country where its government is not reliant on a tax base, essentially means people can be bought off/guaranteed certain things, and hence democratic reliability is not demanded.
What is Huntingdon’s argument in the clash of civilisations on why particular states will never democratise?
Huntingdon in ‘The Clash of Civilisations’ believed that particular cultures could not handle democracy… essentially that Arab, African, Asian countries would not cope
What 2 hypotheses are there around the relationship between culture and democracy? How does one of these involve an economy?
- H1 - democracies more common in certain cultures. Values on freedoms, secularism, expression, are found more so in the West than elsewhere
- H2 - Cultural modernisation theory:
Economic development creates cultural change, which leads to democracy. It is not that economic development directly creates democracy
How do Inglehart and Norris revise Huntingdon’s thesis on why culture is important in forming a democracy?
Inglehart and Norris believe culture to be important, but not within regions and civilisations - instead it is a ‘sexual clash of civilisations’.
Countries more liberal on rights of women, LGBT, etc, are more likely to be democratic than those that are not. The ‘sex’ line is what generates the clash. Gender equality explains level of democracy better than anything else
What examples dispute the ideas of Huntingdon?
Taiwan, Botswana as stable democracies/Arab Spring developing
What are potential causes for the rise of authoritarianism in previously democratic countries?
War on Terror and instability this has created, claims of the rise of the deep state, the 2008 Financial Crisis, Nationalism, Populism, groups feeling as though they have been left behind, the success of alternatives to democracy.
What features are there of totalitarian regimes?
- ideology that explains world as it is, and how it should be
- a single party, with a dominant leader
- no opposition
- a mobilisation of support for the party and leader
- state control of media
- use of coercion, violence, terror
- economic control by the state
How does totalitarianism differ from authoritarianism?
Totalitarianism is IDEOLOGICAL in nature… whereas authoritarianism disregards any political narrative.
What are the 3 types of authoritarian regimes?
Monarchies that are autocratic: Saudi Arabia
Military: Myanmar
Single/dominant party regimes: China
What is Linz’s (1964) definition of an authoritarian regime?
Authoritarian regimes are systems with limited pluralism, without a guiding ideology, limited political mobilisation, leader or small group exercises power.
