Defining Democracy

Defining Democracy

• "Demos" (Greek for people/poor/many) and "kratos" (power) combine to mean power lies with the people
• Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as "government of the people, by the people, and for the people"
• Magadia & Ramos (2006) and Huntington (1991) defined democracy as a political system where decision-makers are selected via free, honest, periodic elections with competing candidates, and all adults can vote

Who are the People?

• Philosophical discussions range from Plato's philosopher kings to Rousseau's 'social contract'
• Philosopher King: Hypothetical ruler with political skill and knowledge
• John Locke proposed people submit to higher-ups for independence and liberty via a social contract
• People voluntarily unite and sacrifice individual rights for a collective body politic, the "general will"
• Give up some freedoms for a common good
• Participatory democracy emphasizes the collective will over individual desires

Criticisms of Majority Rule

• Alexis de Tocqueville called democracy the "tyranny of the majority"
• A majority group in a democracy may oppress or disadvantage a minority group
• The majority electorate acts at minority expense, with majority groups harming minorities, and minority rights being violated

Modern Democracy

• Modern democracy highlights accountability and involves the relationship between rulers and citizens
• Rulers gain power and citizens are subject to their terms, in exchange for improvements
• Not just voting, but rulers are also held accountable to promises with authority based on consent
• Citizens can give and take away power, and decision-making quality is experienced by them

Defining Good Governance

• Governance: Mechanisms, relationships, and institutions through which citizens express interests and rights
• Good governance requires transparency, accountability, predictability, and participation
• Laws must be consistent and equal. Citizens must be engaged in decision-making

Elements of the State

• Weber suggests state existence relies on claiming a monopoly on force
  • Only the state uses physical force (police/military) to maintain order
• Inherent state powers include:
  • Eminent Domain: Taking private property for public use
  • Police Power: Using force to protect territory
  • Taxation: Extracting resources for public projects
• Need a rationale for the state people actually listen to, with an expectation to deliver the common good

Democracy, Survival and Control

• Social Control: state influencing/regulating individual and group behavior
• Encompasses state attempts to align behavior with policies, with the ability to deliver key survival components
• Indicators of Social Control include:
  • Compliance: Conformity to state demands
  • Participation: Acting voluntarily in accord
  • Legitimation: Accepting institutions
• Migdal described society as a mix of social organizations, using different strategies for survival
• Social Control: Ethnic groups, the church, social classes, and villages are all examples
  • In the Third World societies and states may not fit well into molds shaped by Western experiences and experiences of democracy
• State's authority depends on relationships with various groups

Measuring a State

• Strong states have high capabilities to get tasks done, while weak states are at the lower end of the spectrum
• In Countries in the Third World, encounter issues with state-building efforts like resistance, difficulty in mobilizing, ethnic and linguistic fragmentation
• Overall level of social control varies based on circumstances

Classifying Democracies

• Key features or requirements of democracy:
  • Three attempts to establish a democracy occurred during the Spanish and Japanese Colonial Times, and the EDSA Revolution
  • Having a Unitary, presidential government, separated into three branches creating a web of checks and balances:
    • The Executive (President)
    • The Legislative (Congress and Senate)
    • The Judiciary (Supreme Court)
  • The 1987 Constitution: Salient provisions outlined in the Bill of Rights, clauses on social justice (Article 13)
• In practice, Philippine structures within Philippine politics are questionable in its compatibility, echoes of the American legacy

Democracy in the Philippines

• Traditions ingrained in society strengthened by both positive and negative experiences
• It resolves differences across cultures, while still allowing for the importance of reform for enhanced democracy
• Highlighting that the government and people are linked, indicating that people can impact the process of governing

Democracy Rising

• “Democracy should champion individual and collective liberties that could curb the powers of leaders who might be tempted to impose their wills on their constituents" (Diamond 1999, Zakaria 1997)
• Core definition: Voice of the people/consent and choice of leaders.
• Diamond defines democracy as offering the best prospect for good governance, while Dahl says it promotes freedom above all else