1. Comparative Analysis of Democratization prof. Fulvio Venturino
Comparative Politics
Principles of Democracy and Democratization
Chapter 5: Social Structure and Politics

2. A starting point: social pluralism
Social pluralism defined: existence of a large number of relatively autonomous associational groups independent from the state
Such groups promote the development of cross-cutting social cleavages that build ties between social, ethnic, or religious groups
Such groups also provide the basis for the limitation of state power, promoting the control of the state by society

3. The key questions
The relationship between the legacy of feudalism and democracy
The relationship between inequality and democracy
The relationship between civil society and democracy

4. Feudalism and democracy
Alternative points of view coexist
feudalism can be seen as an early form of pluralism that led to the limitation of the development of centralized state power
Alexis De Tocqueville pointed to the absence of feudalism in the United States as contributing to democracy
Barrington Moore states that what kind of feudal system existed strongly matters for democratization

5. Socioeconomic inequality and democracy
Extreme inequalities in wealth undermine democratic political structures because
the concentration of economic resources in the hands of the “haves” make the haves unwilling to accept political reforms, as they believe that the “have nots” will deprive them of their wealth
moreover, inequalities produce high levels of resentments and radicalization among the “have nots”

6. Civil society defined
Society at large: focused on private gain, as in the case of families, inward-looking groups or profit-oriented firms
Civil society: focused on public goods
Political society: groups directly tied to the state, such as Congress, the bureaucracy, and political parties

7. Civil society as interest groups
Anomic groups: spontaneous groups with a collective response to a particular frustration
Non associational groups: individuals are usually held together by some common kinship or identity ties, such as race or gender
Institutional groups: are mostly formal and have some other political or social function in addition to the particular interest
Associational groups: formed explicitly to represent a particular set of issues and interests, such as trade unions, organizations that advocate gun or animal rights, professional organizations

8. Civil society and benefits for democracy
associating with other individuals in a voluntary association gives a person increased political resources
participation in voluntary organizations facilitates better awareness and a more informed citizenry
civil society groups also promote attitudes such as tolerance, moderation, and willingness to compromise

9. Robert Putnam The decline of social capital
Social capital (according to Encyclopedia Britannica): potential of individuals to secure benefits and invent solutions to problems through membership in social networks
Disengagement depends on
Movement of women into the labor force
Greater geographical mobility
Demographic changes
The technological transformation and privatization of leisure

10. The critique of civil society-democracy nexus
Small well-organized interest groups dominate the political process leaving many voices unheard
There is no necessary connection between civic engagement and political engagement, only the latter being crucial for the development of democracy
Another criticism involves the measurement of social capital, social networks, and civil society
The causal links between civil society and democracy are controversial