Liberal Democracies:

1
Liberal Democracies

• How democratic?

2
The question

• To what extent are liberal democracies really
  democratic?
• Subject to popular control?
• Responsive to their citizens?
• Are they different from authoritarian systems?
• If so, how?

3
The problem (1)

• Liberal democracy is defined as government of
  the people, by the people, and for the people,
  but
• In most liberal democracies, the people are not
  in direct control
• Instead, most governing is done by the few
• Legislators who exercise minimal control over
  ministers
• Ministers who exercise minimal control over
  bureaucrats
• Bureaucrats who take more of the decisions

4
The problem (2)

• In addition
• Those who govern are
• put there by political parties, themselves
  oligarchical
• Surrounded by interest groups
• Which press the demands of those they represent,
  rather than the public as a whole
• Public not necessarily interested or attentive

5
Assessing democracy

• How responsive is the system?
• Do legislators, members of the political
  executive and bureaucrats respond to public
  demands?
• If so..
• What kinds?
• Under what circumstances?
• How effective is the electoral process?
• Does the public have the last say over
• The content public policy?
• Who actually governs?

6
Degree of democratic control depends on

• Political parties the alternatives they pose
• The electoral system and the extent to which it
  facilitates decisive outcomes.
• Is it possible to throw the bums out in
• Two party systems?
• Multiparty systems?
• Is there a tradeoff between decisiveness and
  representation?

7
Some contrasts

• Does electorate have the last say in either
• Adversarial democracies?
• UK
• Canada
• France
• Consensus-seeking democracies?
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Election of 2002

8
Some cures?

• Referenda, but utility limited by
• Extent of public interest and information
• Possible use and manipulation by interest groups
  the case in Switzerland
• More frequent electionsbut can result in
• Greater dependency on political money
• Insufficient time to make decisions
• More openness
• Secret v. open government
• The Swedish experience

9
Bottom line

• Day-to-day democratic control limited in most
  liberal democracies, but, free and fair elections
  
• Gives the electorate last say if they care to
  exercise it
• Forces governments to be (or at least pretend to
  be) responsive to the public at large, as well as
  demands of interest groups
• Openness helps forces decisions to be justified
• Authoritarian regimes can also be responsive
• but typically only to a narrower segment of the
  population -- those who put the regime in power
  and sustain it.

10
Conclusion

• Liberal democracy is the worst form of
  government, except for all the others that have
  been tried (Churchill)