who governs? part ii: democracy. basics demos meaning "people", and kratos meaning...

Who Governs?Who Governs?

Part II:Part II:

DemocracyDemocracy

BasicsBasics

DemosDemos meaning "People", and meaning "People", and KratosKratos meaning "Power“meaning "Power“

Popular SovereigntyPopular Sovereignty Direct.Direct. Indirect (Representative) Indirect (Representative) Rule of LawRule of Law Constitutional OrderConstitutional Order

Examples of Direct Democracy Examples of Direct Democracy in the Modern Erain the Modern Era

Ballot InitiativeBallot Initiative ReferendumReferendum RecallRecall

One Possible Definition of One Possible Definition of DemocracyDemocracy

"Modern political democracy is a "Modern political democracy is a system of governancesystem of governance in which in which rulersrulers are held accountable for their actions are held accountable for their actions in the in the public realmpublic realm by by citizenscitizens, acting , acting indirectlyindirectly through through competitioncompetition and and cooperation of their cooperation of their electedelected representatives.”representatives.”

-Schmitter And Karl (1991) -Schmitter And Karl (1991)


System of governanceSystem of governance: regime in the : regime in the sense that we have used the term: What sense that we have used the term: What are the rules that determine who controls are the rules that determine who controls the state?the state?

RulersRulers: those who sit in government and : those who sit in government and directly control the state apparatus--i.e., directly control the state apparatus--i.e., those who control the legislative (and those who control the legislative (and executive) authority as discussed in our executive) authority as discussed in our definition of the state.definition of the state.


Public RealmPublic Realm: making of collective norms : making of collective norms and choices that are binding on the society and choices that are binding on the society and backed by state coercion" --the and backed by state coercion" --the relationship between state and society in relationship between state and society in the political system/the outputs (public the political system/the outputs (public policy decisions)policy decisions)

CitizensCitizens: In a true democracy all : In a true democracy all permanent adult residents with little of no permanent adult residents with little of no restrictions. To be a true democracy, a restrictions. To be a true democracy, a broad definition of citizen is needed.broad definition of citizen is needed.


IndirectlyIndirectly: A representative system: A representative system CompetitionCompetition: contestation: contestation ElectionsElections: sets of rules; must be : sets of rules; must be

consistent, free and fair. A key to consistent, free and fair. A key to democracy (perhaps the most democracy (perhaps the most significant feature) but in and of significant feature) but in and of itself, elections do not produce itself, elections do not produce democracy (e.g., USSR, Cuba)democracy (e.g., USSR, Cuba)

VotingVoting

SuffrageSuffrage Electoral Systems (How votes Electoral Systems (How votes

become office)become office) Plurality SystemsPlurality Systems Majoritarian SystemsMajoritarian Systems Proportional RepresentationProportional Representation

Political PartiesPolitical Parties

Defined: a group of actors, operating Defined: a group of actors, operating under a common label, who compete for under a common label, who compete for votes.votes. Label: why does that matter?Label: why does that matter? Note: Note: competes competes for votes, but the definition for votes, but the definition

does not require does not require victoryvictory.. This a minimal definition—some in the This a minimal definition—some in the

literature are more restrictive in one way or literature are more restrictive in one way or another.another.

Electoral systems affect the number of parties.Electoral systems affect the number of parties.

PolyarchyPolyarchy

Why the term?Why the term? Rule by the “demos” is actually Rule by the “demos” is actually

impossible.impossible. For a variety of reasons the will, needs For a variety of reasons the will, needs

and demands of all the people cannot and demands of all the people cannot be met.be met.

Yet, the many still rule.Yet, the many still rule.

PolyarchyPolyarchy

DefinedDefined Contestation: Contestation: That there is a real That there is a real

competition for power in which the competition for power in which the opposition has a legitimate chance of opposition has a legitimate chance of winning. winning.

Participation:Participation: That citizens have their basic That citizens have their basic civil liberties (such as freedom of speech civil liberties (such as freedom of speech and protest) and have the right to exercise and protest) and have the right to exercise those liberties to affect and influence those liberties to affect and influence government. government.

Why Polyarchy MattersWhy Polyarchy Matters

Classic Liberal Freedoms are present in Classic Liberal Freedoms are present in polyarchies (freedom of speech, the press, polyarchies (freedom of speech, the press, assembly, worship, etc.).assembly, worship, etc.).

Composition of Leadership (contestation Composition of Leadership (contestation and participation mean that competition for and participation mean that competition for office is open, rather than limited to a office is open, rather than limited to a specific set of persons).specific set of persons).

Responsiveness of Politicians (i.e., Responsiveness of Politicians (i.e., politicians will “seek the support of groups” politicians will “seek the support of groups” (23))—hence, government and policy will be (23))—hence, government and policy will be made with organized interests in mind. made with organized interests in mind.

Why Polyarchy MattersWhy Polyarchy Matters

Promotes Mass-Based Political Parties (because Promotes Mass-Based Political Parties (because you need to maximize votes). Since you need as you need to maximize votes). Since you need as many votes as possible to win power, power many votes as possible to win power, power contenders will have to please a large number of contenders will have to please a large number of persons (unlike an authoritarian situation).persons (unlike an authoritarian situation).

Increased Pluralism. (Increased opportunities for Increased Pluralism. (Increased opportunities for voicing opinion and making demands).voicing opinion and making demands).

Decrease chance of state-directed coercion Decrease chance of state-directed coercion against society for ideological/political purposes. against society for ideological/political purposes. Dahl notes that no polyarchical government has Dahl notes that no polyarchical government has ever engaged in large-scale attacks on its own ever engaged in large-scale attacks on its own people.people.

DiamondDiamond

Nondemocracies Nondemocracies Pseudodemocracies Pseudodemocracies Electoral DemocraciesElectoral Democracies Liberal DemocraciesLiberal Democracies

Diamond’s Definition of Liberal Diamond’s Definition of Liberal DemocracyDemocracy

Control of the stateControl of the state and its key decisions and its key decisions and allocations and allocations lies with electedlies with elected officials officials (in (in particular, the military is subordinate to the particular, the military is subordinate to the authority of elected civilian officials)authority of elected civilian officials)

Executive power is constrainedExecutive power is constrained, , constitutionally and in fact, by the constitutionally and in fact, by the autonomous power of other government autonomous power of other government institutions (such as an independent judiciary, institutions (such as an independent judiciary, parliament, and other mechanisms of horizon parliament, and other mechanisms of horizon tal accountability).tal accountability).


Not only are Not only are electoral outcomes electoral outcomes uncertainuncertain, with a significant , with a significant opposition vote and the presumption opposition vote and the presumption of party alternation in government, of party alternation in government, but no group that adheres to but no group that adheres to constitutional principles is denied the constitutional principles is denied the right to form a party and contest right to form a party and contest electionselections


Cultural, ethnic, religious, and other Cultural, ethnic, religious, and other minority groups are not prohibited minority groups are not prohibited from expressing their interestsfrom expressing their interests

Citizens have multiple, ongoing Citizens have multiple, ongoing channels for expression and channels for expression and representationrepresentation of their interests and of their interests and values, including diverse, independent values, including diverse, independent associations and movements, which they associations and movements, which they have the freedom to form and join.have the freedom to form and join.


There are There are alternative sources of alternative sources of informationinformation

Individuals also have substantial Individuals also have substantial freedomfreedom of belief, opinion, of belief, opinion, discussion, speech, publication, discussion, speech, publication, assembly, demonstration, and assembly, demonstration, and petition.petition.

Citizens are Citizens are politically equalpolitically equal under under the lawthe law


Individual and group liberties are effectively Individual and group liberties are effectively protected by protected by an independent, an independent, nondiscriminatory judiciarynondiscriminatory judiciary; whose ; whose decisions are enforced and respected by decisions are enforced and respected by other centersother centers

of power.of power. The The rule of law protects citizensrule of law protects citizens from from

unjustified detention, exile, terror, torture, unjustified detention, exile, terror, torture, and undue interference in their personal lives and undue interference in their personal lives not only by the state but also by organized not only by the state but also by organized nonstate or antistate forces.nonstate or antistate forces.