11 Questions
What is a distinctive feature of the Iranian system of government?
Mix of theocracy and democracy
What is the purpose of the Council for the Protection of the Constitution in Iran?
To ensure conformity to Islamic principles
What is a criticism of labeling Islamic regimes as 'fundamentalist'?
It perpetuates Western prejudices against the East
What is a key feature of a military regime?
Leading posts in government are filled based on military rank
What type of military regime involves a council of officers running the state?
Junta regime
Who is an example of a leader in a military-backed personalized dictatorship?
Abacha of Nigeria
What is a common criticism of the term 'orientalism'?
It perpetuates Western prejudices against the East
What is a characteristic of a military regime?
Power is based on military power and systematic repression
What type of regime is characterized by a single individual gaining preeminence within the regime?
Military-backed personalized dictatorship
What is a common feature of military regimes and dictatorships?
They are often established through a violent coup
What is a key difference between a junta regime and a military-backed personalized dictatorship?
One is led by a council of officers, the other is led by a single individual
Study Notes
Illiberal Democracies
- Have regular elections that contribute to legitimacy, but with limits
- Characterized by personalized leadership, strong state, weak opposition, and few checks and balances
- Political and civil rights are selectively suppressed, especially in the media
- Inclined towards majoritarianism, with intolerance towards pluralism and hostility towards minorities
- Examples: South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, China (?)
East Asian Regimes
- Prioritize economic goals over political freedom
- Support 'strong' government, respect for the state, not welfare states
- Influenced by Confucianism, emphasizing loyalty, discipline, and duty
- Reduces scope for assimilation of ideas like human rights and individualism
- Authoritarianism, strong focus on community over individual, especially family
Islamic Regimes
- Aim to construct a theocracy, with political and social affairs structured according to religious principles
- Political Islam has varying forms, from fundamentalist to pluralist
- Fundamentalist version associated with Iran
Aristotle's Six Forms of Government
- Based on two questions: Who rules? Who benefits from rule?
- Identified six forms of government, with ideal being Polity and worst being Tyranny
- Advocated for mixed constitutions
Development of Aristotelian System
- Thomas Hobbes and Jean Bodin concerned with sovereignty
- Hobbes: sovereignty as a monopoly of coercive power
- Bodin: sovereignty as a single authority, constrained only by natural law or God's will
- John Locke and Montesquieu: advocated for constitutional government, with limits on the ruler
- Locke: sovereignty belongs to the people, not the ruler
- Montesquieu: separation of powers, checks and balances
Iranian System
- Complex mix of theocracy and democracy
- Legislation ratified by the Council for the Protection of the Constitution, ensuring conformity to Islamic principles
Military Regimes
- Based on military power and systematic repression
- Part of the broader category of dictatorship
- Key feature: leading government posts filled based on military chain of command
- Differences: Junta regimes, Military-backed personalized dictatorship, e.g. Abacha (Nigeria), El-Sisi (Egypt), Sudan, Myanmar
Test your knowledge on the characteristics of illiberal democracies, including their election systems, political processes, and suppression of rights. Learn about the features that define these systems and how they differ from liberal democracies.
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