Summary
Summary Democracy
- Module
- Politics
- Institution
- Queens University Belfast (QUB)
Summary of 2 pages for the course Politics at QUB (Democracy)
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By: jwishart786 • 6 year ago
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Evaluate the view that democracy is the only legitimate form of government.Para Key Points Key Points
Intro "Seen with great clarity that he has lost legitimacy with his Political legitimacy contested section of pop. don't
people." Obama - Colonel Gaddafi March 2011. recognise the authority of those in power - dismiss
President of self-styled 'world's greatest democracy' uses their right to have jurisdiction over region/sub-
'lost' - asserting at some point Gaddafi had 'legitimacy' section of pop.
with people + USA - $30bn siphoned funds private US Legitimacy - challenged section of pop. - perceive
bank. legitimate laws being applied inconsistently or in
Even one of the greatest democracies, claim to have discriminate fashion.
foreign policy based upon spreading democracy, concede International lawyers - America's Guantanamo Bay
that non-democratic regime - legitimate if, majority of prison = breach of Geneva Convention on rights of
people view it as such. prisoners of war, America disputes this.
Definition legitimate - 'authorised by or in accordance Views them as 'enemy combatants' in self-
with law'. proclaimed 'war on terror’.
Gov. legitimate when officials recognised authority, many Gauging public opinion in authoritarian regimes =
accept legitimacy when overwhelming majority present. problematic + absence of elections + free press,
judging compliance out of fear or support is
troublesome.
1 Member United Nations Security Council – China, Yet USA + Britain continue to sell weapons + buy oil.
totalitarian state far from democracy. March 2011, 10,000 Saudi troops mobilise to quell
HR abuses e.g. Tiananmen Square massacre student any contagion uprising across N.Africa + Arabian
protestors 1989, banning of religions – Falun Gong + states.
highest use state execution – 72% all global state Western powers confer legitimacy upon totalitarian
executions 2008 + 2400 in 2014. states like China + absolute monarchies e.g. Saudi
Treated as legitimate state – international community, Arabia out of pragmatic prioritisation of
“urge” China to address appalling HR record, but doesn’t international trade.
apply sanctions. China, threatened review trade links – any Western
Saudi Arabia – openly practices Sharia law – amputation countries dared to vote for Chinese pro-democracy
of hands for burglary, stoning to death of women for campaigner Lui Xiaobo – serving 11 year sentence
adultery, death penalty for homosexuality + leaving “subversion”, to win Nobel Peace Prize.
Islamic religion. Not allowed work/access public services without
Saudi Arabian court sentenced a man to death for intermediary – male sponsor. Difficult to ascertain
apostasy after he filmed himself tearing up a copy of the support levels Premier Jiabo’s regime, anyone who
Koran. Saudi Arabia publicly beheaded leaders of political dares to protest – risk of being shot dead, tortured
revolts. or imprisoned.
King Abdullah’s reign Saudi Arabia cannot be verified – Bay of Pigs fiasco 1961, successive US gov. failed stir
impossible western journalists conduct reliable national up enough discontent overthrow socialist regime.
opinion poll + army/police quick crush traces of rebellion. Cuba serves democracy not the only form legitimate
Socialist republic Fidel + Raul Castro – Cuba, USA fit to form of government.
impose trade embargo – HR abuses e.g. detention political 2010 - 2 million Cuban born immigrants in USA.
prisoners + homosexuals. Some left in protest of non-democratic regime but
Arguable state less repressive than China + Saudi Arabia some left economic gain, claim Cuba's inability to
also compares favourably in terms of support for regime. flourish economically due to US embargo.
Cuba’s literacy rate = 99.8%, free health care services Attempted to demonstrate democratic powers like
resulting life expectancy 78 + thousand ‘medical tourists’ America bestows legitimacy upon on democracies -
helped regime being viewed as legitimate. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's official states like
Average wage $16.75 per month. Cubans elect Cuba enjoy legitimacy amongst own pop.
representatives legislative assembly but no political
parties allowed in opposition of Communist Party of Cuba.
2 Democracies - legitimacy contested e.g. Basque See a pattern any type of political regime, democratic
separatists, Irish Republicans NI + American civil war - likely authority challenged by heterogeneous pop
1861-1865. whereby one groups feels alienated.
Counterbalance - wave pro democracy protests against Homogenous pop - less likely to challenge e.g.
authoritarian regimes - N.Africa + Arabian states. Sweden - White, protestant pop suffered 1st
Traditional authorities dictators - Ben Ali Tunisia 23 years, terrorist attack Stockholm 2010 by Iraqi national
Mubarak Egypt 30 years + Gaddafi Libya 42 years. residing in city.
Back question posed, only democracies deemed legitimate
forms of gov.
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