Plan for Today: What do we mean by democracy?

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Plan for TodayWhat do we mean by democracy?

• Introducing two types of definitions of
  democratic regimes.
• Outlining implications of choosing different
  definitions of democracy.
• Clarifying some things that democracy is not.

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Democracy

• Demos people
• -cracy rule

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Regime vs. State, Government

• State territorially defined political entity,
  like country.
• Government collection of particular leaders
  fulfilling governing positions at any one time.
• Regime Set of rules institutions defining
  political system.

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Different types of definitions of democracy

• Substantive, Outcome-focused Definitions

• Procedural Definitions

Minimal electoral definitions
More complex procedural definitions (liberal
democracy)
Maximalist definitions
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Procedural Definitions

• Focus on process and rules defining democracy.
• Most common definitions today in study of
  democratization.

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Procedural Definitions
Complex
Minimalist
Democracy competitive elections
Additional institutions and/ or liberty
protections required
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Minimalist Electoral Definitions

• Define democracy by process used to make up
  governing institutions.
• Require only multi-candidate, competitive
  elections.

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Minimalist Electoral Definitions

• Joseph Schumpeters (1943) definition
  individuals acquire the power to decide by means
  of a competitive struggle for the peoples vote.
  
• Also Przeworski, Huntington

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The fallacy of electoralism (Terry Karl)

• The belief that elections equal democracy.

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Electoral democracies

• Regimes that have minimal competitive elections,
  but no other democratic institutions.

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More Complex Procedural Definitions

• Institutions or guarantees of freedoms, as well
  as elections, must exist to call regime
  democratic.
• E.g. Liberal definitions of democracy.

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Illiberal Democracies(Fareed Zakaria)

• Everyone has the right to vote among multiple
  candidates, but human rights and individual
  liberties are not well observed.
• Examples Russia, other post-Soviet, Nigeria,
  Venezuela.

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Complex Procedural Definitions Examples of
Institutional Requirements

• Checks balances, separation of powers
  legislative, executive, judicial organs
  separated.
• Rule of law legal rules applied fairly and
  consistently to all citizens.
• Guaranteed protection of minorities.

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Complex Procedural Definitions Examples

• Robert Dahls definition of Polyarchy
• opposition contestation through elections.
• participation the equal right of all adults to
  vote and run for office.
• Includes certain civil liberties, argued to be
  essential.

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Complex Procedural Definitions Examples

• Schmitter Karl Dahls requirements plus a few
  more
• Elected leaders must not be subject to veto from
  unelected officials.
• Elected officials must be able to make binding
  decisions without approval of foreign actors.

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Complex Procedural Definitions Examples

• Larry Diamond adds many institutions for
  protecting liberal democracy
• Constitution.
• Civil society.
• Independent media.
• Independent judiciary.

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Different types of definitions of democracy

• Substantive, Outcome-focused Definitions

• Procedural Definitions

Minimal electoral definitions
More complex procedural definitions (liberal
democracy)
Maximalist definitions
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Substantive Definitions of Democracy

• Demand that democratic regime must succeed in
  providing outcomes that promote equality among
  citizens.

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Substantive Definitions Examples

• Participatory democracy or deliberative
  democracy.
• e.g. Benjamin Barber strong democracy in the
  participatory mode.

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Substantive Definitions Examples

• Equal socio-economic outcomes.
• e.g. Ann Phillips (feminist) outcomes should
  allow all women to have equal chance with men at
  participating.
• Social and economic inequalities prevent.
• Actual participation most important measure of
  democracy.

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Different types of definitions of democracy

• Substantive, Outcome-focused Definitions

• Procedural Definitions

Minimal electoral definitions
More complex procedural definitions (liberal
democracy)
Maximalist definitions
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Is democracy a continuous or dichotomous variable?

• Dichotomous 2 values or categories
• Continuous a spectrum of infinite measures, not
  separated into distinct categories

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What democracy is not Not all good things go
together(Schmitter Karl)

• Not necessarily capitalism or economic freedoms.
• Not necessarily more orderly, stable, or
  consensual than nondemocracy.

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Diamond on stability

• Democracy depends on minimal coercion and maximum
  consent.
• Results in three constant paradoxes re stability

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Diamond 3 paradoxes related to stability

• Conflict vs. consensus. There must be
  disagreements and opposition in order to allow
  competitionYet not too much disagreement!

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Diamond 3 paradoxes related to stability

• Representativeness vs. governability. Governments
  must be responsive to constituencies, yet must be
  able to govern effectively.

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Diamond 3 paradoxes related to stability

• Consent vs. effectiveness.
• Democracy requires consent.
• Consent based on legitimacy.
• Legitimacy based on effectiveness.
• Effectiveness requires unpopular decisions.