The Industrialized Democracies Chapter 2 The Industrialized Democracies Chapter Cover Slide – book cover, book title, chapter number, chapter title

Table 2.1

Learning Objectives After studying this chapter, students should be able to: Define “democracy”. Explain variations in democracies in different countries. Define “rule of law”. Describe characteristics of civil society and civic culture. Outline support for and exceptions to the hypothesis that capitalism and affluence are prerequisites of democratic political cultures. Outline the development of democratic states in Western Europe since the eighteenth century. Define “political legitimacy” and explain its role in democratic civil societies. Explain the roles of social capital and tolerance in democratic civil societies. Outline the characteristics of the types of political parties found in Western democratic states. Describe characteristics of presidential and parliamentary regimes. Explain the primary roles of bureaucracies in democratic regimes. Define and apply the concept of an “integrated elite”. Describe an “interventionist state” and its primary characteristics. Chapter Learning Objectives

Thinking About Democracy Democracy is about relationships between the rulers and the ruled. Rule by the people Democratic reality: Pay taxes, serve in the military, follow the rule of law, and so on.

Thinking About Democracy The Basics Rights Basic individual freedoms Competitive Elections Regular, free, fair Different electoral and party systems Single-member districts vs. proportional representation The Rule of Law Clear and fair rules People are governed by clear and fair rules

Thinking About Democracy Civil Society and Civic Culture Stable democracies have a civic culture Capitalism and Affluence Democracy can only exist alongside an affluent economy

Thinking About Democracy Which Countries Are Democracies? Using these criteria, it is easy to identify more than twenty countries that are unquestionably democratic. Most are in Western Europe or in parts of the world Europeans colonized. The one obvious exception is Japan. All of these countries have met the five criteria for at least thirty years—little chance of their regimes collapsing.

The Origins of the Democratic State Domestic concerns played more of a role in their development than other countries we will examine (as opposed to colonialism and imperialism) Democracy took a long time to develop. - still developing?

THE ORIGINS OF THE DEMOCRATIC STATE The Evolution of Democratic Thought Thomas Hobbes (1586–1679): People had to give up their freedom to the Leviathan in order to prevent anarchy. Laissez-faire theory: Government should stay out of the economy and let the market run itself. John Locke (1632–1704): State’s role was to protect life, liberty, and property. How would the state accomplish this?

Key Turning Points Table 2.3

The Origins of the Democratic State Evolution of Democratic Thought All of the industrialized democracies limited suffrage until the mid-nineteenth century Women did not get the right to vote in many countries until the twentieth century. In the late- nineteenth/early- twentieth centuries, European parliaments gained more power.

Women in Parliament Table 2.2 Source: International Parliamentary Union, www.ipu.org. Accessed 15 April 2011.

THE ORIGINS OF THE DEMOCRATIC STATE Building Democracies Four great transformations: The creation of the nation and state. The role of religion in society and government. The development of pressures for democracy. The Industrial Revolution.

THE ORIGINS OF THE DEMOCRATIC STATE Rise of fascism and authoritarianism led many to question democracy. Democracy was (is) a tumultuous process. United States sent aid to Europe during the Cold War to stop the spread of communism.

POLITICAL CULTURE AND PARTICIPATION The Civic Culture In successful democracies, people have a sense of legitimacy. The feeling of legitimacy has remained despite a dramatic drop in support for governments. Scholars consider values and assumptions of a political culture. Putnam: role of social capital Zakaria: tolerance and institutions that instill respect for the views and actions of others

POLITICAL CULTURE AND PARTICIPATION Political Parties and Elections Political parties: Contest elections and form governments. Left end of spectrum: Remains of communist parties, socialist parties, center democratic parties. Center: Liberals or radicals. Right: Christian Democratic parties, secular conservatives .

POLITICAL IDEOLOGY Table 2.4

Political Parties and Ideology Table 2.6

POLITICAL CULTURE AND PARTICIPATION Catch-All Parties Democratic party systems today are not working very well because of their old roots. The rise of catch-all parties Adoption of more moderate position Sustained economic growth The expansion of the welfare state

FIGURE 2.1 Political Participation in Flux: Two Versions

POLITICAL CULTURE AND PARTICIPATION New Divisions Important changes are occurring on the fringes of the electoral mainstream. Growing difference between men and women A new type of middle-class, postmaterialist voters Likely to support the new party: The Greens The growing role of women playing in political life

POLITICAL CULTURE AND PARTICIPATION Realignment? Existing or new parties adopt strong positions appealing to new segments of the electorate. Dealignment always precedes realignment. The right has gone a long way toward redefining itself: Reagan and Thatcher. The left has had a much harder time redefining its image and appealing to a new coalition of voters.

POLITICAL CULTURE AND PARTICIPATION Interest Groups Interest groups promote different points of views. Business groups have more influence than unions. Nature of relationship between interest groups and decision makers varies from country to country. Protest movements go beyond activities of interest groups, but do not question legitimacy of regimes.

POLITICAL CULTURE AND PARTICIPATION Political Protest The industrialized democracies all have protest movements. There is plenty of protest: Goes beyond traditional activities of interest groups. No one who joins the protests questions the legitimacy of their regimes.

THE DEMOCRATIC STATE Presidential and Parliamentary Systems Presidential System (United States) Constitution set out to create the separation of powers. Compromise was the norm and rapid decision making was difficult. Lengthy legislative process Checks and balances among three branches

THE DEMOCRATIC STATE Presidential and Parliamentary Systems Power of prime minister is fused with parliament, not separated. Prime minister is usually head of majority party, appoints the rest of cabinet. Doctrine of cabinet responsibility: The government remains in office until the next election if and only if it retains the support of that majority on all major pieces of legislation. Must keep its majority on votes of confidence.

THE DEMOCRATIC STATE Parliamentary System How is the legislative process different from the presidential system? In some parliamentary systems, a coalition of many parties is necessary to govern.

THE DEMOCRATIC STATE The Rest of the State Bureaucracy plays a critical role. Max Weber (1864–1920)—Modern civil services are supposed to be the epitome of efficiency, but do not always reach this ideal. Iron triangle—Close cooperation between bureaucrats, politicians, and businesses. How are bureaucratic relationships different in France and the United States? The courts have more power in the United States than other industrialized democracies

Iron Triangles Figure 2.4

Public Policy The Interventionist State Markets cannot effectively provide public goods. Markets work best if there is competition and wealth and power is not concentrated . Social and economic changes of the Industrial Revolution led to the interventionist state. Globalization of economic activity

Public Policy The Interventionist State Basic health care and education Subsidized or free education at all levels Unemployment compensation Pensions and programs for seniors

Public Policy Foreign Policy End of Cold War resulted in one superpower, the United States. Democracies supported war in Afghanistan, not as widespread in support of Iraq.

The Media With the telecommunications revolution it is easier to get information; it is also more accessible, but can be confusing. Average citizens’ view toward the world may be quite different from those of either politicians or the media moguls. People are paying less attention to the political world, partially due to general cynicism towards politics and politicians .

The Worst Form of Government Except for All of the Others Democratic regimes achieve a series of balances better than any other type of government, at least over the long haul: Between the governors and the governed. Between the political world and the rest of society. Between unbridled capitalism and the interests of those who do not benefit (much) from it. Between personal freedom and the need to maintain order and forge coherent public policy.

Discussion How are the social and economic changes in the world as a whole affecting the nature of and prospects for democracy? What are the main differences between presidential and parliamentary versions of democracy?