Comparative Politics 1 POL1010

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Comparative Politics 1POL1010
Lecture 3 21st October 2004, 3-4pm What is
Democracy?
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Lecture Plan

• Types of political system
• Definitions of democracy
• Issues associated with democracy
• Models of democracy
• Strengths and weaknesses of these models
• Democracy in action liberal democracy
• Interpretations of liberal democracy

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Types of Political System

• Aristotles categories
• Democracies
• Oligarchies
• Monarchies

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Democracy as the enduring political principle

• In its origins Democracy seen as a necessary evil
  - Plato and Aristotle
• From Athens to 2004
• Late 20th century - fall of ideologies
• Liberals, conservatives, socialists, communist,
  fascists - we are all democrats now

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Definitions of Democracy

• Democracy is the worst form of government except
  all the other forms which have been tried from
  time to time
• Source Winston Churchill, 1947

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Defining Democracy

• Ancient Greece - demos - the people / kratos
• - power
• democracy is perhaps the most promiscuous word
  in the world of public affairs
• Source Bernard Crick, 1993

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Defining Democracy Who are the people?

• Principle of political equality
• But who are the people? In practice what
  restrictions are placed on participation?
• Greek city-states males, over 20 years
• UK universal suffrage only from 1928
• USA 1960s until full democracy achieved
• 1971 in Switzerland when women finally given the
  vote
• All examples of democracy excluded children from
  participation
• In addition, other restrictions apply - e.g.
  imprisoned criminals

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Defining Democracy Government by the People

• Government by the people
• What will do the people actually exert?
• General will of the collective (Rousseau)
• Majority will of most people (majoritarianism)
• Private will of individuals

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Government by the People Forms of Participation I

• Direct / Participatory
• Continuous involvement of citizenry in
  decision-making
• referenda, mass meetings, interactive devices
• e.g. of system of popular self-government,
  Athenian city-state, Switzerland
• Plebiscitary democracy as a sub-species

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Government by the People Forms of Participation
II

• Representative Democracy
• Voting Periodically
• Limited, indirect government
• Delegation of power via electoral mandate
• Competitive elections

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Government by the People Forms of Participation
III

• Radical Democracy
• Goal of decentralised power and widened
  participation
• Socialists and Feminists
• More of an ideal than an actuality

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Government by the People Forms of Participation
IV

• Totalitarian Democracy
• Absolute dictatorships still label themselves as
  democracies e.g. Hitlers Germany
• Ritualised form of democracy focus is the
  leader as a the representative of the people

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Government by the People to Government for the
People Continuum
for the people

• by the people

totalitarian
direct
radical
representative
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Models of Democracy

• Democracy - one size does not fit all?
• Within the concept of liberal democracy
• there are several different types of rule
• Classical democracy
• Protective democracy
• Developmental democracy
• Peoples democracy

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Models of Democracy

• Classical democracy
• Polis of Greek city-state Athens, 4th-5th
  centuries BC
• Pure form of popular participation (though no
  women or slaves)
• Assembly (Ecclesia) of citizens took all major
  decisions
• Met at least 40 times a year
• Influenced later thinkers - Rousseau and Marx
• Criticised by Plato The Republic
• Role of rulers taken by philosopher-kings

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Models of Democracy

• Protective democracy
• Rejection of participation
• Limited and indirect form of democracy
• Aristotles question to Plato quis custodiet
  custodies? Who will guard the guardians?
• 17th C John Locke natural and property rights
• 18th C The Utilitarians Jeremy Bentham and James
  Mill
• greatest happiness of the greatest number
• People give power via consent through the act
  of voting

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Models of Democracy

• Developmental democracy
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau The Social Contract
  (1792)
• Individual freedom comes via obedience to the
  general will
• Participation
• Decentralisation
• John Stuart Mill educative function of
  democracy

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Models of Democracy

• Peoples democracy
• Marxist tradition
• Soviet political system
• Lenin power in the political system should be
  concentrated with the Communist Party
  representing the workers as the masses
• No check on the power of the CP

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Democracy in Action Common Features of Liberal
Democracy

• Indirect and representative form of democracy
  political office is gained through success in
  regular elections
• Importance of competition and choice via
  political pluralism and having an open system
• Distinction is clear between state and society
  autonomous groups and interests are allowed to
  exist free from state interference

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Liberal Democracy in Action Five Interpretations

• Pluralist View LD guarantees responsiveness and
  accountability
• Elitist View in LD tendency for political power
  to be concentrated in the hands of the few
• Corporatist View role of groups (in particular
  TUs) in LD
• New Right View in LD can be a danger of
  democratic overload
• Marxist View relationship between LD and
  capitalism

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Bibliography

• Crick, B. (1993) In Defence of Politics Penguin.
• Marquand, D. (1988) The Unprincipled Society
  London
• Cape.
• Rousseau, J-J. 1762 (1913)The Social Contract
  London Dent.
• Mill, J.S. 1859 (1982) On Liberty Penguin.
• Bentham, J. 1776 (1948) Fragments on Government
  and an
• Introduction to the Principles of Law Oxford
  Blackwell.
• Locke, J. 1690 (1965) Two Treatise on
  Government New York,
• NY New American Library.
• Aristotle Politics Penguin.
• Plato The Republic Penguin.
• Lenin, V. 1902 (1968) What is to be Done?
  Penguin.