Week 1: What is democracy

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Week 1 What is democracy?

• Readings
• Eagles et al . CH 6 and 7

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Introduction

• for the first time in all history, more people
  on this planet live under democracy than
  dictatorship. President Clinton (1997)

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Waves of Democracy

• First Wave (1828-1926) shaped by American and
  French Revolutions.
• Second Wave (1943-1962).
• Push towards the creation of democracies in the
  Middle East and Africa exemplified in the Third
  Wave of democratization (1974 to the present).

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Backsliding

• Reverse waves (1922-1942).
• Second reversal (1958-1975).
• Third reversal?
• While there are more democracies within the
  international system, it is not a given that
  these systems will stabilize.

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Guiding Questions

• What is democracy?
• What is direct democracy? Representative
  democracy?
• What are the benefits of democracy? Its
  drawbacks?

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Defining Democracy

• Political scientists differ on how to define
  democracy.
• Literal definition rule of the many.
• Base definition Schumpeterian democracy
  (institutions allowing for the election of a
  government).
• But is this base definition enough?

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Democracy Defined

• Dahl (1971) is the commonly accepted definition.
• Dahl classifies regimes on the basis of two
  variables liberalization (public contestation)
  and inclusiveness (right to participate).
• Contends that democracy is an ideal-type that is
  associated with eight factors.
• Polyarchies systems which are highly inclusive
  and open to public contestation.

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Dahl-Polyarchy (1971)

• 1) Citizens are free to form and join
  organizations.
• 2) Freedom of expression.
• 3) Right to vote.
• 4) Eligible to seek public office.
• 5) Right of political leaders to seek support.
• 6) Alternative sources of information exist.
• 7) Elections are free and fair.
• 8) Institutions reflect the votes of the
  populace.

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Rule by the Governed

• Democracy is a form of popular sovereignty (state
  authority derives from the governed).
• Concept of how to represent the populace evolved
  over time.
• Various varieties of how the governed rule
  direct democracy or representative democracy.

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Direct Democracy

• Rooted in Ancient Greece.
• Citizens directly make decisions about
  governance.
• Differs from referendum democracy.
• Unwieldy in large systems.

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Representative Government

• First legislatures emerged during the middle ages
  in Great Britain.
• Representative democracy raises the issue of how
  to control representatives (principal-agent
  problem).
• Elections seen as constraining leadership.
• Legislators as trustees vs. Legislators as
  delegates.

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Electoral Activity and the Health of Democracy

• Theoretically, rational voters evaluate their
  interests and use their vote accordingly.
• We see varying levels of political interest and
  participation in democracies.
• Voter turnout varies greatly amongst democracies.
• Mismatches between self interest and candidate
  support raises questions.

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Fears of Democracy

• Political theory struggles with the virtues and
  vices of democracy.
• Churchill it has been said that democracy is
  the worst form of government
• The possibility of demagoguery is an oft cited
  theme.
• Fears of tyranny of the majority also raised.
• Conceptions of the irrational populace underlie
  these contentions.

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What Democracy Isand Isnt

• Democracies generally show more respect for human
  rights.
• Democracy does not infer income equality.
• Democracies are not necessarily more peaceful
  than non-democracies.
• Democracy is not a panacea.

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Conclusions-Prospects for Democracy

• The shift towards democracy in developing regions
  continues.
• In autocracies, democracy is an option when faced
  with political unrest or revolution.
• Developed democracies do not tend to backslide.
• Addressing the public will is difficult.
• Modern world creates incentives for larger
  government, and technological challenges.

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Next Week

• Where does democracy come from?
• Reader Lipset (Modernization), Lerner,
  Przeworski, Di Palma, Lipset (Leadership)
• Wood pgs. 3-22
• You may wish to think about the independent and
  dependent variables for each reading.
• Identify the causal mechanism.