Week 5 (Democracy and democratisation) Flashcards
What is a political regime?
System of relations between society and the state
How can democracy be defined?
- Procedural definitions - define democracy empirically by its processes and institutions (eg. rule of law and free and fair elections)
- Substantive definitions - define democracy normatively by its outcomes and ‘end goals’ (eg. participatory democracy, deliberative democracy)
What factors contribute to democratisation?
- Modernisation / economic development
- Culture
- Domestic institutions
- Agents and actors
- International system
No one factor is sufficient; good arguments combine multiple of these factors (but shouldn’t just be “all these things matter”).
Eg. some scholars have proposed modernisation -> cultural values -> democratisation.
How (according to modernisation theory) does economic development cause democratisation?
(Also, name one key author associated with this theory.)
Industrialisation and economic development -> emergence of middle class -> demands for greater extension of political rights
- Empirically, democracy is more common (and more stable) in developed countries
- HOWEVER, there are some very wealthy states (eg Gulf states, China) which are authoritarian regimes.
- Some argue instead that modernisation does not induce democratisation, but does promote democratic consolidation.
KEY AUTHOR: Seymour Martin Lipset
How does culture cause democratisation?
Certain norms, values and attitudes towards authority may be more conducive to democracy.
How do institutions play a part in democratisation?
(Also, name one key author associated with this theory.)
Constitutional design can make democratic consolidation more/less likely.
Eg. consensus democracies can be more conducive to successful democratic transitions in divided societies. On the other hand, majoritarian systems concentrate power and have higher stakes for winning and losing.
KEY AUTHOR: Arend Lijphart
How do agents and actors cause democratisation?
The decisions of key political actors matter, and can determine the timing and success of democratic transitions.
Eg. Gandhi (India), Mandela (SA), Walesa (Poland).
Associated authors include Rustow, O’Donnell and Schmitter.
How does the international system cause democratisation?
- The actions of great powers can affect the chances for democracy in smaller countries (during Cold War, US and USSR had client states. After Cold War, democracy became global norm).
- Countries are often inspired by their neighbours and democracy spreads in ‘waves’ (eg. Eastern Europe in 1990s). These waves can often include countries that are very different in other ways (eg. South Korea and East Germany), suggesting that international influences are important.
