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Democracy (Cont’d) January 12th, 2005
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Models of Democracy majoritarian democracy
most important goal is maximizing mass participation high mass participation will result in decisions being made that maximize the general welfare
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Models of Democracy Individual Rights/Limited Gov’t
Liberal Democracy I High Mass Participation Low Mass Participation Majoritarian Democracy Elite Democracy General Welfare
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Models of Democracy elite democracy
most important goal is the general welfare requires an elite capable of pursuing the long-term interests of society actually values low mass participation
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Models of Democracy Individual Rights/Limited Gov’t Liberal Democracy
High Mass Participation Low Mass Participation Marjoritarian Democracy Elite Democracy General Welfare
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Models of Democracy liberal democracy
most important goal is protecting individual rights does not prefer low mass participation but may be willing to accept it
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Models of Democracy majoritarian democracy
most important goal is maximizing mass participation high mass participation will result in decisions being made that maximize the general welfare majoritarian democratic critiques of other models
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Models of Democracy majoritarian democracy
most important goal is maximizing mass participation high mass participation will result in decisions being made that maximize the general welfare majoritarian democratic critiques of other models elite democracy – there is no such thing as an elite that is not self-interested and will look after the good of the general masses
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Models of Democracy majoritarian democracy
most important goal is maximizing mass participation high mass participation will result in decisions being made that maximize the general welfare majoritarian democratic critiques of other models elite democracy – there is no such thing as an elite that is not self-interested and will look after the good of the general masses liberal democracy – emphasis on individual rights is used to limit government in order to protect small, priveleged groups
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Models of Democracy elite democracy
most important goal is the general welfare requires an elite capable of pursuing the long-term interests of society actually values low mass participation elite democratic critiques of other models
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Models of Democracy elite democracy
most important goal is the general welfare requires an elite capable of pursuing the long-term interests of society actually values low mass participation elite democratic critiques of other models liberal democracy – undue focus on individual rights limits government’s ability to pursue the general welfare of the community
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Models of Democracy elite democracy
most important goal is the general welfare requires an elite capable of pursuing the long-term interests of society actually values low mass participation elite democratic critiques of other models liberal democracy – undue focus on individual rights limits government’s ability to pursue the general welfare of the community majoritarian democracy – masses are too uninterested, incompetent or, at worst, dangerous to be given control over decision-making
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Models of Democracy liberal democracy
most important goal is protecting individual rights does not prefer low mass participation but may be willing to accept it liberal democratic critiques of other models
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Models of Democracy liberal democracy
most important goal is protecting individual rights does not prefer low mass participation but may be willing to accept it liberal democratic critiques of other models elite democracy – if unchecked, elites will use power to infringe the rights of individuals
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Models of Democracy liberal democracy
most important goal is protecting individual rights does not prefer low mass participation but may be willing to accept it liberal democratic critiques of other models elite democracy – if unchecked, elites will use power to infringe the rights of individuals majoritarian democracy – if unchecked, majority will infringe the rights of minorities (tyranny of the majority)
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Models of Democracy – Viewing Democracy Over Time
elite democrats the masses will always be incapable of making decisions for the long-term common good liberal democrats elites and the majorities will always be prone to infringing individual rights if given the chance majoritarian democrats elites will always be self-serving masses can learn over time to become better democratic citizens if given a meaningful opportunity to do so elite and liberal democrats would argue that the risk is too great
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Where’s the Canadian Political System?
Democracy: Where’s the Canadian Political System? Individual Rights/Limited Gov’t Liberal Democracy High Mass Participation Low Mass Participation Canada Canada Majoritarian Democracy Elite Democracy General Welfare
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Where’s the Canadian Political System Going?
Democracy: Where’s the Canadian Political System Going? Individual Rights/Limited Gov’t Liberal Democracy High Mass Participation Low Mass Participation Canada Canada ? Majoritarian Democracy Elite Democracy General Welfare
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Bureaucracy and Democracy
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Liberal Democracy and Bureaucracy
confluence bureaucracy is good in that it emphasis impartiality (over participation) dissonance danger is if bureaucracy becomes too powerful and threatens individual rights “Big Brother”
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Elite Democracy and Bureaucracy
confluence top-down and hierarchical nature of bureaucracy is good effective mechanism to pursue the general welfare dissonance danger if bureaucracy becomes too powerful and undermines competition among elected/political elites e.g. development of a permanent non-elected bureaucratic elite making decisions ultimately decisions must be ratified by elected elites
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Participatory Democracy and Bureaucracy
confluence effective mechanism to pursue the general welfare e.g. to put into effect the will of the majority dissonance top-down hierarchical nature of bureaucracy is bad excessive focus on impartiality (over participation) is bad
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Main Messages!! Democracy Bureaucracy
there are different models of democracy – NOT one shared vision of democracy Bureaucracy in tension with all models of democracy range bureaucracy is necessary for democracy (elite democracy) bureaucracy undermines democracy (participatory democracy) relationship with democracy is paradoxical (depending on model of democracy)
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