Democracy and Regimes Definitions, Transitions and Consolidations

Regime Types Democratic Authoritarian Totalitarian Post-Totalitarian Sultanic

Democratic A system or regime type in which the ultimate political authority is vested with the citizenry Examples: USA, Canada, Sri Lanka

Distribution

Distribution amongst these

Number of States (over time)

World Population (over time)

Authoritarian Ruled by an elite group that uses repressive means to stay in power. The state will generally ignore the actions of an individual unless it is perceived to be a direct challenge to the state. Examples: Myanmar, Cuba, Egypt

Juntas

Totalitarian The state regulates nearly every aspect of public and private behavior. Examples: USSR (esp. under Josef Stalin), Nazi Germany, Romania under Nicolae Ceauşescu

Post-Totalitarian After the fall of Totalitarianism, government with absent or weak institutions and lacking secondary associations Examples: Russia, Ukraine and Romania in the 1990s

Sultanic All individuals, groups and institutions are permanently subject to the unpredictable and despotic intervention of the sultan, and thus all pluralism is precarious Examples: Saudi Arabia, Iraq under Saddam Hussein, Zaire under Mobutu Sese Seko

Dimensions of Regimes Pluralism Mobilization Charismatic Leadership Pervasive Ideology

Regime-Type Distribution

Polyarchy Robert Dahl’s ideal of democracy A system where the government is completely responsive to citizens and citizens are political equals.

Two basic requirements for a functional democracy Participation Contestation Polyarchy, Competitive Oligarchy, Closed Hegemony, Inclusive Hegemony

Contestation with Narrow Franchise Whig Britain, esp. prior to 1832 USA, prior to 1828 Ancient Greece

Expansion of Franchise: UK 1258: Barons 1341: Aristocrats are represented 1832: from 10% to 20% of 21+ males 1867: 40% of 21+ males 1884: 60% of 21+ males 1918: 100% of 21+ males / 80% of 21+ females 1928: 100% of 21+ males / 100% of 21+ females 1948: ended extra vote 1969: voting age reduced to 18

Expansion of Franchise: USA 1788: first election (under Constitution of 1787) 1810: 10 % of males 1828: 16% of males 1870: former slaves/free blacks can vote 1920: women can vote at : Native Americans can vote 1971: age requirement reduced to 18

Female Suffrage

Participatory Non-Democracies P.R. China Saddam Hussein Iraq USSR

What to do with new classes? Let the strongest emerge Pluralism Corporativism

American Pluralism

Mexican Corporativism

Democratization

Modernization Theory

Civil Society What View of autocrats

Marxian Class-Conflict Social change was often the Industrial Revolution and specifically the Peasant Question. Relevant players: Crown, Aristos, Bourg., Proletariat, Peasants.

Moore: Democratic development as a struggle to: Check arbitrary rulers Replace arbitrary rules with rational ones Obtain a role in rule making

Moore: Conditions for democratic development The Right Balance The Right Agriculture The Right Coalition Revolutionary break with the past

UK advantages Strong and independent parliament No serious peasant problem Commercial and industrial interests assert themselves Growing industrial capitalism

Summary of Moore SystemBourgeois strength Type of agriculture Peasant revolutionary capability Examples Democratic (Version 1) StrongMarketLowUK, US Democratic (Version 2) StrongLabor RepressiveHighFrance FascistMediumLabor RepressiveLowGermany, Japan CommunistWeakLabor RepressiveHighRussia, China

Samuel Huntington’s Three Waves of Democratization First, long wave – First reverse wave – Second, short wave – Second reverse wave – Third Wave – 1974-

Which countries (Huntington)

Explanations for democratization High overall level of economic wealth Relatively equal distribution of income and/or wealth A market economy Economic development and social modernization A feudal aristocracy at some point in history The absence of feudalism in society

Explanations for democratization A strong bourgeoisie (capitalist class) A strong middle class High levels of literacy and education Protestantism Social pluralism Development of political contestation prior to expansion of franchise

Explanations for democratization Democratic authority structures within social groups Low levels of civil violence Low levels of political polarization and extremism Political leaders committed to democracy Experience as a British colony Traditions of toleration and compromise

Explanations for democratization Occupation by a pro-democratic foreign power Influence by a pro-democratic foreign power Elite desire to emulate democratic states

Explanations for democratization Traditions of respect for rule of law and individual rights Communal homogeneity or communal heterogeneity Consensus on political and social values or absence thereof

Factors of the Reverse Waves Weak democratic values Economic crisis Polarization Breakdown of law & order by insurgency/terrorism Intervention/conquest by non-democratic foreign government Demonstration effect

Responsiveness vs. Stability

Factors of the Third Wave Deepening legitimacy problems Global economic growth Liberation Theology Policies of external actors Snowballing (demonstration) effect

Structure and Agency Structural factors Agency

Consolidation Structural conditions may bring democracy Elite settlement is often necessary to consolidate it

Regime-Type Instability: Argentina 1958 – Democratic 1962 – Military (Authoritarian) 1963 – Democratic Military (Authoritarian) 1973 – Democratic

Regime-Type Instability: Argentina Military (Authoritarian) 1983 – Democratic 1989 – Peronist (Authoritarian) 1995 – Peronist (Consociational Democratic) 1999 – Peronist (Competitive Democratic)