Week 1 & 2 Flashcards
Content from the first two weeks
What is the main goal of a dictator?
To stay in power and to survive.
Why don’t dictators kill anyone who poses a threat?
You can’t run a country alone.
Why are authoritarians in a difficult situation?
Because, they cannot know who is truly loyal and who isn’t.
What is the problem of authoritarian politics?
Autocrats have all the power, but are inherently insecure
What is the problem of authoritarian control?
The conflict between the autocratic rules and the masses.
What is the problem of authoritarian power-sharing?
The conflict amongst the autocratic elite.
What exasperates the problems of the authoritarian?
There is a lack of independent authority. The constant threat of violence.
How are most authoritarian’s taken out of power?
Coup d’etat
What is predominant conflict in an autocratic regime?
The conflict between the dictator and the regime insiders
What is the seizure group?
The small group that initiates the dictatorship and their organized support base
What is the launching group?
The group that takes power and runs the state.
What is a ruling coalition?
A set of individuals that who support the dictator and guarantee regime survival
What is the selectorate?
A set of individuals who select the dictator
How does the seizure group effect an autocratic regime?
The characteristics of the seizure group will shape the political process, decision-making and organisational structure of the regime.
What does exogenous mean?
Having an external cause or origin from the system.
What does endogenous mean?
Having an internal cause. Something that is shaped in the system.
What is a characteristic of the seizure group and what is one of the institution?
The seizure group is exogenous, and the institution is endogenous.
How does a military regime come into power?
It comes into power via a coup, or handed power during a political uprising.
What are the traits of a military regime?
It has control of the weapons, Hierarchical organisational system, Often technocratic
How does a civilian organised party gain power?
Through Authoritarianization in a democracy, in a competitive election, via insurgence, through foreign intervention
What are the traits of a civilian organised party regime?
Use bargaining and cooperation. Good at gaining electoral support
How do ruling families come into power?
Through conquests of territory, Usurpation of a monarchy or an imposition to former colonial power
What is an autocracy?
It is a residual category, anything that is not a democracy
What does the minimalist definition of an autocracy include?
A country which fails one of the two tests of democracy.
1. Free and Competitive Legislative elections
2. Executive is elected in free and competitive election
What is an autocratic spell?
An uninterrupted period of time of autocratic rule
What does Geddes (1999) classify autocracies into? What three categories?
Military, Single-Party and, Personalist Regimes
What are the issues with typologies of authoritarian regimes?
- They collapse regimes into conceptually distinct categories
- Types are neither exclusive nor exhaustive
- Therefore, issues with reliability and validity
What are the theoretical dimensions of autocracies?
- Military involvement in politics
- Restriction on political parties
- Concentration of power?
What does “Military involvement in politics” mean? And what levels are there?
To what extent does the military have political power. It can range from purely civilian to Direct military involvement
What levels of “Restrictions on Political Parties” are there?
Complete ban to Only minor restrictions
What is concentration of power in a regime? What is it’s scale?
It refers to how much the power is controlled by a single person and can range from wide power sharing to single person power
What are the levels of analyzing authoritarian politics?
- Autocratic Spells
- Leadership Tenure
- Regime duration
What are the stages of seizing power? And what are the characteristics?
- Pre-coup ; Discipline and Secrecy
- Morning After ; Chaotic and Uncertain
- Post-Organisation ; The seizure group reflects pre-coup structure
