POL 252-01Spring 2015

“Democracy” is from Greek “Demokratia”

“Rule of the People”

“Demos” = “People”

“Kratos” = “Power”

The Parthenon in Athens, Greece

ROBERT DAHL CHARACTERISTICS

Effective Participation

Voting Equality

Enlightened Understanding

Control of the Agenda

Inclusion of Adults

AREND LIJPHART MODELS OF DEMOCRACY

Majoritarian Model

Consensus Model

Consolidation of power in hands of majority

Characterized by:

Exclusiveness

Competititveness

Adversarial Nature

What are the model’s traditional features?

Sharing of power for broader participation and agreement in govt.

Characterized by:

Inclusiveness

Bargaining

Compromise

What are the model’s traditional features?

ON DEMOCRACY BASIC CONDITIONS

Essential

Favorable

Control of Military & Police by Elected Officials

Impact on Internal Sovereignty

Many governments in this region gained power by military coups

and other non-democratic means.

Costa Rica = Democracy

Control of Military & Police by Elected Officials

Democratic Beliefs and Political Culture

Citizen preference of democracy

Occurs through socialization

Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in elementary school is an early

form of political socialization.

Control of Military and Police by Elected Officials

Democratic Beliefs and Political Culture

No Foreign Control Hostile to Democracy

Country cannot be influenced by non-democratic or authoritarian entity

Limited or No Cultural Conflict

“Us” vs. “Them”

Democratic Institutions amid Cultural Diversity?

▪ Assimilation

▪ Decision by Consensus

▪ Electoral Systems

▪ Separation

Modern Market Economy and Society

Democracy-Dictatorship Measure

POLITY Measure

Freedom House Measure

Democracy-Dictatorship Measure

Governmental Offices

▪ Chief Executive and Legislature are ELECTED

Contestation

▪ Uncertainty – Outcome NOT known beforehand

▪ Irreversibility – Winner of election actually takes office

▪ Repeatability – Elections occur at regular intervals

Democracy-Dictatorship Measure

POLITY Measure Competitiveness and Openness of Executive

Recruitment ▪ Can anyone run for president? (Restrictions in U.S.)

Regulation and Competitiveness of Political Participation ▪ How many political parties exist?

Democracy-Dictatorship Measure

POLITY Measure

Freedom House Measure Political Rights ▪ Electoral Process, Participation, Functioning of Govt.

Civil Rights ▪ Freedom of Expression, Rule of Law, Personal Autonomy

We can argue that the U.S. became a democracy at different historical points.

“BOTTOM-UP” PROCESS

Popular Uprising

Overthrow of Authoritarian

Regime

Democratization

“TOP-DOWN” PROCESS

Introduction of Reforms by Elite

Increasing Reforms

Democratization

Discussesdemocratization via three periods or “waves”Samuel Huntington

Roots in Revolutions

• American

• French

Expansion of Franchise

• U.S.

• Europe

Receded by 1930s

• Military Coups

• Fascism

Origins in World War II

• Democracy in Europe

• Independence Movements

Receded by 1960s

• Military Coups and Dictatorships

• Cold War Politics

Democratic Governments

• Latin America

• Asia

Democracy in Europe

• Fall of Berlin Wall

Former Soviet Nations Declare Independence

• Lithuania

• Belarus

• Armenia

Structural vs. Contingent Approach

International vs. Domestic Approach

Economic vs. Political Approach

POLITICAL

Political Institutions

Globalization

ECONOMIC

Shocks and Crises

Composition of Wealth

Inter-Group Inequality

SOCIAL

Middle Class

CULTURAL

Civil Society