Test 2 Comp Gov Notes (1) PDF

Trevor Schmidt Dahl's Polyarchy 1.Control over government decisions are vested in elected officials 2. Frequent and fair elections 3. Practically all (?) adults have the right to vote 4. Practically all (?) adults have the right to run for elective offices 5. Freedom of expression 6. Right to seek...

Trevor Schmidt Dahl's Polyarchy 1.Control over government decisions are vested in elected officials 2. Frequent and fair elections 3. Practically all (?) adults have the right to vote 4. Practically all (?) adults have the right to run for elective offices 5. Freedom of expression 6. Right to seek alternative sources of information 7. Freedom of association—including political parties 8. Elected officials have to be able to exercise their constitutional powers. 9. The polity must be self-governing Schmitter and Karl's additions Competition and cooperation Acceptance of basic norms and ethics of democracy Collective deliberation What makes the V-Dem different Benefits of the V-Dem Missed last class 10/2/24 Inductive logic– from specific to general. You observe some cases. You make a generalization about a phenomenon based upon those cases Deductive logic– From General to specific. you start with assumptions and develop a possible explanation about a phenomenon Inductive reasoning You observe protestant countries(britain and US) industrialized first. Based on your observation, you explain that protestantism leads to more successful economic development. Successful industrialization of East Asian countries challenges this generalization Deductive reasoning You start with a general assumption. Humans are self interested. All human behaviors can be explained by their own self interest. An individual will not help a drowning stranger to risk their own life. Logically correct, but not always true Question to students Is huntington's analysis of the third wave of democratization is based on an inductive or deductive reasoning What about Acemoglu and Robinson A&R’s assumptions -Democracy as effective universal male suffrage=the initiation of Schumpeterian democracy (p.17) Any society consists of two groups: elites (the few = the haves) and non-elites (the majority = the have nots) Politics is always conflictual. Elites versus the majority. Economic interest is the driver of politics. Democracy vs Non-democracy = political equality vs political inequality Democracy is characterized by its relatively more pro-majority policies = more redistribution (p.19). De jure political power vs de facto political power. Political institutions allocate de jure power. De facto power is transitory, while de jure power is more stable. The argument-What do the masses want? Wants long lasting de jure power Redistribution Democratic institutions The argument- What do the elites want Holding onto their de jure and de facto power No redistribution Continued accumulation of wealth When do the elites agree to give up their de jure power They weigh the pros and cons of repression and redistribution Pattern of economic inequality becomes the key factor that determines which country goes onto which path of political development 10/16/24 Test Monday, Go over notes and readings Notes which missed are on blackboard Study Guide on Democratization Theories and Non-Democracies 1. Samuel Huntington's Three Waves of Democratization 1st Wave (1820-1926): ○ Introduction of male suffrage in many countries. 2nd Wave (Post-World War II): ○ Democratization in countries defeated in WWII (e.g., Germany, Japan). 3rd Wave (1974-1990): ○ Focuses on Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and others. ○ Influenced by: Democracies performing better at the time. Growing educated urban middle class demanding democracy. Roman Catholic Church and Vatican II supporting political reforms. Changes in international actors’ policies. Snowballing: Democratic transitions in one country influencing others. Key Point: Democracy can be reversed (e.g., coups, authoritarian reversions). Reasoning Approach: Inductive (based on observations of patterns over time). 2. Acemoglu & Robinson (A&R)  Main Argument: Nations rise or fall due to political and economic reasons. 1. Deductive reasoning. Key Concepts: 1. Political participation and freedom: Aligns with Dahl's definition of democracy (frequent elections, free expression). 2. Elites vs. Masses: Central political conflict between elites (who hold power) and masses (who demand change). 3. Economic motivations: Conflict is primarily about economic power and resource redistribution, not purely about freedom. 4. Democracy: Characterized by pro-majority policies, where elites must decide between repression or redistributing power to the masses. De Jure vs. De Facto Power: 1. De jure (legal power) is more powerful than de facto (actual power). 2. Masses seek to transfer economic power from elites to democratize. Pathways of Democratization: 1. Gradual democratization: (e.g., Britain). 2. Intermittent democracy: (e.g., Argentina, democracy comes and goes). 3. Stable non-democracy: (e.g., Singapore). 4. Undemocratic and repressive regimes: (e.g., apartheid in South Africa). 3. Linz and O'Donnell: Elite-Level Bargaining in Democratization Split in Elites and Masses: ○ Elites:  Hardliners: Favor repression to maintain power. Softliners: More willing to negotiate and possibly democratize. ○ Masses: Radicals: Want to overthrow the regime through revolution. Moderates: Prefer compromise and gradual transition to democracy. 4. Barbara Geddes: Types of Non-Democracies How different authoritarian regimes are more or less likely Focus: to collapse or democratize. Regime Types and Longevity: 1. Military regimes: Short lifespan (~9 years), prone to collapse as military factions are often not cohesive. 2. Personalistic regimes: Dictator-centric, reliant on the leader’s cult of personality. Shorter lifespan (~15 years), often collapse after the leader’s death. 3. Single-party dominant regimes: Longest survival (~23 years), stable due to organizational strength. Stronger resistance to collapse but more likely to democratize over time. Key Point: Military regimes are the most likely to transition into successful democracies. 5. Eva Bellin: Arab Spring and Why Some Protests Succeed  Explains the Arab Spring and why some uprisings Article Focus: succeeded while others failed. Key Factors: ○ Long-standing grievances (economic or political oppression). ○ Emotional trigger (e.g., one event igniting widespread anger). ○ Impunity: Citizens had lost faith in the government being held accountable. ○ Social media: Key role in spreading the revolution. Military Role: ○ Professional armies are less likely to repress, especially if they share the same religion as the protesters. ○ Patrimonial armies (loyal to the regime due to familial or tribal ties) are more likely to violently repress protests, especially when religious differences exist between the army and protesters. 6. Beatriz Magaloni: Why Single-Party Regimes are Strong Builds on Geddes' work by analyzing why single-party regimes are the most resilient. Key Concept: ○ Autocrats in single-party systems often hold elections not to lose power but to maintain control and legitimacy. ○ These elections provide a controlled way to manage dissent and distribute favors, helping the regime survive longer. Key Takeaways  Democratization occurs when elites decide between repression and redistribution, often influenced by economic conditions and the threat of unrest from the masses. Non-democracies differ in their likelihood of collapse, with military and personalistic regimes more prone to democratize or fall compared to single-party regimes. Elite dynamics play a critical role in both the survival of authoritarian regimes and the potential for democratization.