POLS241 Exam Prep (DO OTHER DECKS AS WELL) Flashcards
What are regimes?
-A form or type of governmental system, with an emphasis on institutions and rules.
What are characteristics of democratic regimes?
-Regime associated with “rule by the people” with rights and liberties for citizens
-Rights: Elections are free and fair, regularly scheduled, have multiple political parties and most individuals can run for office.
-Liberties: Freedom of speech, information, of the press and assembly/join interest groups and parties.
What is democracy
-Emphasis on direct citizen involvement in politics.
What are procedural and substantive defitnions of democracy?
Procedural: Basic rules, procedures or standards required.
Substantive: Based on achieving end goals (ex. more equity).
What are different types and examples of authoritarian regimes? (TTPB)
-Totalitarian regimes: A form of authoritarian regime that aims to control everything about the lives of its subject population (Ex. Soviet Union 1917-1991), (Nazi Germany 1933-1945).
-Theocracies: An authoritarian state controlled by religious leaders, or a state with very strict religious restrictions that use religion as its main mode of legitimation (Ex. Iran).
-Personalistic dictatorship: A form of authoritarianism in which the personality of the dictator is emphasized (Ex Idi Amin of Uganda 1971-1979).
-Bureaucratic-Authoritarian regimes: A type of authoritarian regime in which the state is controlled more by a group of elites rather than a single leader (ex. Argentina and Brazil in the 1970’s and the current Chinese communist party).
Describe China as a bureaucratic-authoritarian regime
Legislature: National people’s congress
Members are indirectly elected by lower-level assemblies.
Executive: Three positions
-President of People’s Republic of China
-Secretary general of communist party
Chairmen of central military council
-Judiciary.
What are the all the different regime types?
-Liberal democracy:
Are those with guaranteed political and civil rights to all citizens (Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, South Korea).
-Electoral democracy:
are those that do not extend civil rights to all citizenry (Israel,
Latvia, Estonia, India)
- Ambiguous regimes:
are those that fall on the blurry boundary between electoral democracy and competitive authoritarianism, with independent observers disagreeing over how to classify them - Competitive authoritarianism:
regimes where democratic institutions function
despite serious and frequent abuses and irregularities carried by the incumbent. There are areas of contestations that challenge, weaken and could defeat the incumbent
(Kenya; Ethiopia; Nigeria) - Hegemonic electoral authoritarianism:
Their elections and other “democratic” institutions are largely façades, yet they may provide some space for political opposition, independent media, and social organizations that do not seriously criticize or challenge the regime (Egypt, Kazakhstan)
-Closed regimes: (China, Saudi Arabia, Cuba)
What is democratization and its different types?
Democratization: Type of regime regime.
Democratic transition: To change from authoritarian to democratic regime.
Democratic consolidation: Process by which a new democratic order becomes institutionalized. Democracy more likely to endure in this type then transitional democracies.
What are the causes and effects of democracy (MCID)?
-Modernization theory:
Emergent middle class plays role in democratization and modernization may prevent democratic breakdown (democracy correlates with wealth of country).
-Culture theory: Different regions or countries have distinct cultures regarding power, authority and rights. (Norms and attitudes support democracy in some places).
International system theory: Major powers in the world can affect chances for democracy in smaller countries (e.g., Cold war 1945-1989 and era of “democratic peace” 1989-2001).
Domestic institution theory: Institutions shape whether democracies will survive or fail (Ex. federalism to mitigate conflict in ethnically divided countries).
Combining arguments: No one theory can explain democracy, example of combined theory would be that modernization shapes cultural values and in turn results in democracy (Inglehart and Welzel).
What is a democratic transition?
-Change from authoritarian to democratic regime (democratization vs. liberalization).
What is democratic consolidation?
-process by which a new democratic order becomes institutionalized.
What is democratic deepening?
-Transition from an electoral democracy to a liberal one.
-Democracy becomes more comprehensive, accountable and fair.
When and what were the three waves and reverses of democratization?
Proposed by Samual P. Huntington:
-First, long wave of democratization:
Held roots in American and French revolutions, achieved minimal democratic qualifications such as 50% of adult males eligible to vote and that responsible executive who either must maintain majority support in an elected parliament or is chosen in periodic popular elections.
-First reverse:
Began in 1922, Shift back to authoritarian rule, reversals occurred in countries that adopted democratic forms just before or after world war 1 (e.g. Yugoslavia and Poland).
-Second, short wave:
Occurred after World war 2, countries such as Turkey and Greece moved back to democracy in 1940’s-50’s
-Second reverse wave:
By 1960’s, second wave of democratization exhausted itself. Regime changes began taken on heavily authoritarian cast, most dramatic in Latin America.
-Third wave:
In years following Portuguese dictatorship, democratic regimes replaced authoritarian ones in thirty countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Democratic tide manifested itself in southern Euroupe and then Latin America in the 1970s (also had manifestations in Asia).
What are the types of transitions (or non-transitions) to Authoritarianism?
-Democratic breakdown: Opposite of transition to autocracy or “in-between” or hybrid types.
-Authoritarian persistence:
One authoritarian regime remains in power, transitions from one authoritarian regime to another.
What are criticism’s of Samual P. Huntington’s wave’s concept?
-Huntington criteria for democracy.
-Amplifying the first reverse wave.
-Waves are not all the same intensity.
